Cotabato City—The police remained virtually clueless in the probe of the killing last Thursday of a forest enforcer of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat.
Environment Secretary Frank Cimatu has sent DENR Assistant Secretary Jim Sampulna to meet with the family and colleagues of slain forester Kandatu Bansil, who headed the Forest Law Enforcement Unit of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office in Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat.
“Officials and employees of the DENR XII lament the death of Forester Kandatu A. Bansil of the CENRO in Tacurong City,” said Sampulna.
Local police report said the 51-year-old Bansil was shot dead by an unidentified gunman on Feb. 21, in Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat.
But Saga Akmad, the CENRO head in Tacurong City, said nothing much came out of the police investigation from the day Bansil was shot dead early morning in nearby Lambayong, his hometown.
Sampulna said he spoke in defense and sympathy to the bereaved family, as “Secretary Roy A. Cimatu gave instruction to provide the family with assistance most needed and to monitor the result of the investigation.”
DENR Regional Executive Director Nilo Tamoria said it was not far-fetched that the employee’s murder was work-related.
“The work of a forester is not an easy task. It is somehow associated with risk especially when they are assigned in the field and armed only with their desire of combatting illegal logging activities,” Tamoria said, adding he was saddened by department’s loss of a sincere and dependable worker.
“Secretary Cimatu has been saying that the safety of the employees is of utmost concern of the department in the midst of the tour of duty,” Sampulna said.
Akmad said it was unthinkable for sincere and dedicated public servant to fall victim to cold-blooded murder.
“He has been sincere and dedicated in his responsibility as environmental law enforce. Forester Bansil was serious in enforcing the environmental laws for the department and would go after violators,” Akmad said.
“Secretary Cimatu said that he will be taking action to improve the protection of foresters having cognizant on this related occurrences”. Dir. Tamoria added.
Bansil rose from the ranks before becoming the chief of the CENRO Law Enforcement Unit in Tacurong City, from being a Forester I in 2005 to Forester II in 2016.