PRESS RELEASE FOR
REFERENCE
February 16, 2010 ALFREDO
S. ARAYA
Chief,
Regional Public Affairs Office
Telefax:
4820857
Email:
araya_rpao5denr@yahoo.com
DENR appeals to candidate
to adopt 'no nails, no staple wire" policy
to protect trees
LEGAZPI CITY - The Dpeartment of Environment
and Natural Resources is appealing to those running for public office
in this coming May 2010 elections to observe the law covering the posting
of campaign materials.
DENR Regional Executive Director, Joselin Marcus E.
Fragada issued the appeal upon noticing the widespread posting of campaign
propaganda materials, many of which are mounted, posted, nailed or stapled
wire on treesalong roadsides.
"Spare our trees from harm! Let's not nail
propaganda materials on them!" Fragada said.
Foresters have observed a sudden increase
in infection of trees five to six months after election due to wounds
inflicted by the nails and staple wires used to post campaign materials
on them, the DENR official said.
The DENR's involvement in the tearing down and removing of campaign
materials in public places outside the common poster areas started when
the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) issued Resolution No. 6616 dated
12 February 2004 entitled "In the Matter of Deputizing the Metro
Manila Development Authority and the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources for the purpose of implementing COMELEC Resolution No. 6520."
The said Resolution deputized the MMDA and DENR to perform the following
duties:
1) To tear down and remove campaign propaganda materials posted in public
places outside the common poster areas.
2) To tear down and remove illegal campaign materials wherever posted
and displayed.
3) To make report of said activities done by them, and
4) To monitor and watch out for persons posting and distributing said
unlawful election paraphernalia and to arrest
said persons caught in flagrante dilicto.
The then DENR Secretary, it will be recalled, wrote a letter to the
then COMELEC Chairman requesting him to deputize employees and officials
of the DENR to remove illegally placed campaign materials, the department
being "the primary government agency responsible for the protection,
conservation, management and development and proper use of the country's
environment and natural resources".
The request was made in line with Section 24 of the Implementing Rules
and Resgulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 9006 (Fair Election Practices
Act) promulgated by the COMELEC in January 6, 2003 prohibiting the posting
of campaign materials in public places outside the designated common
poster areas such as streets, bridges, public structures or building,
trees, electric posts or wires, schools, shrines, main thoroughfares
and the like.
Fragada said he will issue an instruction to DENR field offices to coordinate
with COMELEC officials and concerned law enforcement agencies on the
removal of campaign propaganda materials posted on trees in their area
of jurisdiction.
Per Section 21b of COMELEC Resolution No. 8758 pertaining to the Rules
and Regulations Implementing Republic Act No. 9006, otherwise known
as the Fair Election Practices Act, in relation to May 10, 2010 Synchronized
National and Local Eections. And Subsequent Elections, promulgated on
4 February 2010. "The posting of campaign materials in public places
outside of the designated common poster areas such as streets, bridges,
public structures or buildings, trees, electric posts or wires, schools,
shrines, main thoroughfares and the like is prohibited."
"Members of the PNP and other law enforcement agencies called upon
by the Election Officers or other officials of the COMELEC shall apprehend
the violators caught in the act, and file the appropriate charges against,"
the same Resolution further states.
The said Resolution states that a common poster area does not refer
to a post, a tree, the wall of a building or an existing public structure
that is in active use, but a structure, location and number of which
are determined (in the following Sec. 22b.) that is temporarily set-up
by the candidates or political parties for the exclusive purpose of
displaying their campaign posters.
It may also be recalled that the COMELEC promulgated Resolution 7623
on February 14, 2007 deputizing barangay officials and barangay tanods
of all cities and municipalities through the Department of Interior
and Local Government with the authority and duties to tear down and
remove campaign materials posted in public places outside the common
poster areas.
Fragada said that in removing campaign materials posted on trees, the
DENR is also guided by Section 3 of Republic Act No. 3571, otherwise
known as "An Act To Prohibit the Cutting, Destroying or Injuring
of Planted or Growing Trees, Flowering Plants and Shrubs or Plants of
Scenic Value along Public Roads, in Places, Parks, School Premises or
in any Other public Grounds".
Even as Fragada appeals for the proper posting of election campaign
materials, he urges the public anew to take care for the trees and nurture
them well as trees help us contain greenhouse gases emission like carbon
dioxide that cause global warming and climate change (ASA)
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