Story/Photos: ELMER RECUERDO
The top official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Eastern Visayas confirmed receiving death threats prompting her to seek assistance from the Philippine National Police for her protection.
DENR Regional Executive Director Lormelyn Claudio said at the Kapihan ng Bagong Pilipinas on Tuesday that she sought the help of the Philippine National Police for protection due to threats to her life.
Claudio did not give further details as to who sent the threat, how it was sent and the circumstances before this happened and when it happened. She said she cannot disclose more information as this involves her personal security.
DENR Regional Executive Director Lormelyn Claudio said at the Kapihan ng Bagong Pilipinas on Tuesday that she sought the help of the Philippine National Police for protection due to threats to her life.
Claudio did not give further details as to who sent the threat, how it was sent and the circumstances before this happened and when it happened. She said she cannot disclose more information as this involves her personal security.
Claudio was appointed DENR regional director in Eastern Visayas in July last year after Leyte Fourth District Rep. Richard Gomez, in a congressional hearing, asked for the replacement of top DENR officials in the region. Erstwhile DENR-8 RED Arturo Fadriquela was transferred to the Zamboanga Peninsula.
Claudio disclosed the threat to her life after the media queried her on how she managed to have four police bodyguards when she attended public functions.
"My work requires me to go around the region to attend to different concerns. I cannot defend myself from this threat if I go alone," she said.
Claudio said threats to life due to the nature of her work is not unusual because of the many individuals that are affected in the implementation of environmental laws.
She said that in the last two years DENR-8, in collaboration with different law enforcement agencies, apprehended almost 400,000 board feet of illegally-cut logs and timber, while its field personnel have been subjected to threats while in exercise of their job to protect the environment.(CJ/jmm/ER)
Claudio disclosed the threat to her life after the media queried her on how she managed to have four police bodyguards when she attended public functions.
"My work requires me to go around the region to attend to different concerns. I cannot defend myself from this threat if I go alone," she said.
Claudio said threats to life due to the nature of her work is not unusual because of the many individuals that are affected in the implementation of environmental laws.
She said that in the last two years DENR-8, in collaboration with different law enforcement agencies, apprehended almost 400,000 board feet of illegally-cut logs and timber, while its field personnel have been subjected to threats while in exercise of their job to protect the environment.(CJ/jmm/ER)
