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EARLY lexicographers must have had the likes of Anna Maria
“Bambi” Harper in mind when they thought up the word
“redoubtable.” She is one formidable gal—but far too refined
and elegant to pick a fight with anyone. But take her on and you
will soon find out that you’ve got more than a fight on your hands
—especially if it concerns an environmental issue where her
credibility is being skewered.
Let’s make no bones about it. President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s hand-picked choice for the post,
Intramuros Administration chief Harper, is (to quote the newest star
of the US political scene, Republican vice presidential pick Alaska
Governor Sarah Palin, who used the term to describe herself as a
fierce hockey mom) “a pit-bull with lipstick.”
So the piranhas sensing blood and going around
in frenzied circles in the hope of feasting once again on the
nation’s heritage (like they did in the previous decade before
their crooked activities were severely curtailed when Harper took
over the IA) had better be cautioned against biting more than they
could possibly chew.
It’s painfully ironic that the first crisis in
Harper’s short but thus far dynamic tenure at the IA should
concern the illegal chopping down of trees, considering that she has
established impeccable credentials in the Philippines as a staunch
advocate of the environment—as Environment Secretary Lito Atienza
can attest since Harper was his nemesis when he, as Mayor of Manila,
was ordering the chopping down of trees at historic Mehan Garden and
Arroceros Forest Park to make way for some concrete monstrosity.
How supremely rich then for the Atienza-led DENR
(do we see an attempt to settle old public relations scores here?)
to heap opprobrium on Harper—and seriously question her green
credentials while they are at it—over the accidental cutting down
of six narra and two mahogany trees in Plaza Roma that were supposed
to be balled and re-planted in Fort Santiago.
The DENR permit obtained by the IA granted the
cutting down of 17 trees in that area opposite Manila Cathedral to
make way for a landscaping project that is intended to replace the
trees with, to quote the IA, “historically appropriate”
caballero trees (or flame trees as the Spanish called them) that
would not block the façade of Manila Cathedral.
The instructions given to the Batangas
contractor who was awarded the P400,000 contract, Green Philippine
Nursery Plant, was explicit. But for some inexplicable reason
bordering on total ignorance the company’s workers chopped down
the wrong trees.
What is not being reported in this controversy
is that a long standing IA employee who should have known better
actually gave the nod to the contractor to go-ahead and do the
dreaded deed without even contacting Harper. And since there have
been questions raised about the real loyalties of some long
established staff with well entrenched habits at the IA—where
Harper has been cleansing the Augean Stable that was the IA inside
out since her arrival—perhaps the unilateral action of that
staffer needs closer scrutiny.
A shell-shocked Harper issued a statement which
opened with the line: “First and foremost, we owe the Filipino
people, who own Intramuros, a deep apology, which we do extend most
sincerely for this unfortunate incident.”
She went on: “I rely on my reputation
established as a heritage conservator and preserver of trees—the
Arroceros Forest Park and the former Mehan Garden and of historic
structures like the Jai-Alai—to support my credibility in this
instance. I, as head of Intramuros Administration, did not authorize
the cutting or damaging of the trees in question.
“Violation of Section 3 of Presidential Decree
No. 953, under which the DENR notice said I could be held
responsible, is a criminal offense. The person or persons who
actually cut or ordered the cutting, of the trees, are, I was
advised by counsel, therefore the ones who may be liable. I
understand that under our system of laws, criminal liability is
personal.
“Having said all of the above, we would
like to inform the public that we had intended and intend to, with
the help of donations from tree lovers to plant over 200 flame trees
in Intramuros for the enjoyment of the Filipino people this month
of September.”
There she may well rest her case.
rjottings@yahoo.com
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