DENR Undersecretary Juan Miguel Cuna signed orders dated December 19 canceling MPSAs granted to Rapid City Realty and Development Corporation, Quimson Limestone, Inc., and Quarry Rock Group, Inc.
"We urge the Department of Environment and Natural Resources anti-illegal logging task force to look into the matter and file the necessary charges against violators of environmental laws," the Palace said.
In a joint letter to Duterte and acting environment chief Jim Sampulna, over 30 environment and education leaders asked to immediately cancel quarrying agreements within the 26,126-hectare Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape in Rizal province.
The Masungi Georeserve called for support for environmental defenders protecting watersheds as they decried the detention of five of their forest rangers allegedly by police in the town of Baras, Rizal province.