The Department of Environment and Natural Resources filed a criminal case against the corporation behind the Monterrazas de Cebu project for alleged violations of the Revised Forestry Code. DENR Assistant Secretary Norlito Enran said the complaint was filed on December 3 for violation of Section 77 of Presidential Decree 705.
“For the Monterrazas case, we already filed a criminal case on December 3, 2025, for violation of Section 77 of Presidential Decree No. 705, or Revised Forestry Code, against the corporation,” Enran said.
Section 77 penalizes anyone who cuts, gathers, collects, or removes timber or other forest products from forestland, alienable land, disposable public land, or private land without authority. Penalties fall under Articles 309 and 310 of the Revised Penal Code.
DENR Undersecretary Juan Miguel Cuna said the agency’s evidence includes a 2022 tree inventory that documented 745 trees in the project area. “It identified 745 trees, and when we checked recently, there were only 11 trees left. Before this case was filed, of course, we studied whatever we had on a regional level,” Cuna said. The DENR earlier confirmed the use of technical assessments to validate changes in land cover and site conditions.
The joint investigation launched last month focused on determining whether the project complied with its Environmental Compliance Certificate and with environmental laws governing land alteration near timberland areas. The review examined the slope of the terrain, erosion and siltation risks, water runoff patterns, and possible obstructions in waterways.
Public attention escalated after flooding in Cebu during Typhoon Tino, prompting renewed scrutiny of the hillside development. The project sits on the slopes of Barangay Guadalupe and forms part of a larger residential development announced in 2023. Online criticism resurfaced over its potential contribution to landslide and flooding hazards.
Engineer Slater Young, who is associated with the project, said it underwent hundreds of design revisions to strengthen environmental safety and structural stability. He said all necessary government permits were secured.
