DENR Investigates Alleged Use Of PH Soil By China
After the claims of the Zambales Governor Amor Deloso, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is now investigating the alleged use of Philippine soil for the building of the artificial islands of China over the Scarborough Shoal.
In a report by ABS-CBN, DENR Secretary Gina Lopez said that there are people who will be penalized if the claim of the Zambales Governor is true.
”That’s horrible. I will find out whoever gave the permit,” Lopez said. “China can never be allowed to use our soil as their landfill. We’re gonna look into this and make sure it never ever happens,” she added.
[Read: Zambales Soil Used By China To Make Fake Islands, Governor Claims]
Lopez pointed out that if there are DENR officials who got involved in the release of the permits, “heads should roll”.
“If the truckloads came from us, we should be aware. If they were getting truckloads of our soil, there were probably some trail,” Lopez said as quoted in the report.
The Undersecretary of DENR Arturo Valdez said that the department already created a team to probe on the matter and there are actions being done to “track the movement of the minerals and sand” that’s allegedly taken from Zambales and being brought to Bajo de Masinloc.
Valdez said that regional directors have been asked to give the feedback regarding the matter since it’s an alarming thing as reported.
”They’ve not allowed us to go fishing and on top of that they are getting our soil? Something has to be done about it.”
The Philippines has won in the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration against the claims of China over the West Philippine Sea. But still, China has been operating and stated that it won’t honor the decision of the Court.