Environment Secretary Gina Lopez on Wednesday ordered the demolition of structures in a 5-hectare property illegally carved out of a mangrove area along the coastal outskirts of the city center. Lopez also called out local officials for allowing the rampant cutting of mangroves in Barangay San Manuel and accused acting city police chief, Supt. Ruben Sarmiento, of allegedly “coddling” the developer of the property, where a subdivision would be built. Lopez, in a post on her Facebook account, said a team from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) removed fences and other structures in the area, including at least 100 houses.

Anda, R. D. (2017, February 4). Mangroves cleared for Palawan subdivision. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A8.