The Court of Appeals (CA) has found former Baguio congressman Nicasio Aliping guilty of indirect contempt for violating a Permanent Environmental Protection Order (PEPO) by renovating a structure within the Mount Santo Tomas Forest Reserve.
The court ordered him to remove the improvements made to the property and pay a ₱30,000 fine.
The PEPO, issued in 2015, prohibits development activities within the protected forest reserve following environmental damage linked to tree-cutting and earthmoving operations.
Government lawyers pursued contempt charges after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources reported that a dilapidated wooden structure had been converted into a concrete house without approval.
Aliping said he would seek reconsideration, arguing that the repairs were necessary for safety and did not violate the court order.
Source: PhilNews24 | June 12, 2026
