DENR clips Señor Aguila’s wings

Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga on Monday announced the cancellation of its Protected Area Community-Based Resource Management Agreement with the controversial Socorro Bayanihan Services Incorporated (SBSI) community in Siargao.

She said SBSI violated the provisions of the tenurial instrument awarded in June 2004 covering 353 hectares in the Siargao Island Protected Landscape and Seascape in Surigao del Norte.

Among the violations were the establishment of illegal settlements, checkpoints, failure to submit regular reports, and the unauthorized establishment of structures like access roads, she said.

The DENR is also being pressed by some quarters to cancel its agreement with the group overseeing the Masungi Georeserve in the province of Rizal.

“Protected areas are critical habitat (of endangered species). The improvements are not part and parcel of their (SBSI) privileges,” Loyzaga said.

She pointed out that the community headed by Jey Rence Quilario, more known by his alias Señor Agila, has even put up a wave pool in the area.

Señor Agila was the subject of wide public attention in September 2023 when the group under his leadership faced allegations of sexual abuse and of being a cult.

“It’s a unique situation (that) also has social issues. There are also psycho-social violations. We have to work on integration, find ways for the community to have a relocation (housing settlement),” Loyzaga said.