The controversial Captain’s Peak Garden and Resort’s manager states they received the necessary permits to build their resort.
According to the manager, Julieta Sablas, they know that their property is part of a protected area, but they cannot use the land for farming since the soil is “acidic.”
Her brother, Edgar Buton, owns the resort. She said he might have decided to build a resort because of the scenery in the area.
“Aware na kami na protected area, pero mayroon namang mga kailangang gawin para mabigyan ng clearance,” she told Teleradyo Serbisyo on Wednesday night, hours after their resort went viral on social media.
She admitted that they could not obtain an Environmental Compliance Certificate, though. Sablas added that they did not ruin the Chocolate Hills to defend the resort against negative comments on the internet.
“Sila lang po ang nagsasabi na nakakasira, pero kapag nandito po kayo sa area namin, talagang hindi po eh,” she said.
The management also stated that other tourist attractions in the area should be looked into, but they are prepared to assist should the authorities begin an investigation.
“Sana patas, patas ‘yung gagawin nilang imbestigasyon. Hindi lang po Captain’s Peak Resort,” Sablas said.
Sablas asserted they were protecting the Chocolate Hills and not doing anything wrong.
“Sana before po ‘yung negative comments ninyo, siguro mas maganda po na magtanong tanong muna tayo kung talagang mayroon po kaming nilabag na sinisira po namin ‘yung Chocolate Hills po,” she said.
“Kasi kapag nandito po kayo sa area, wala po talaga kaming nilabag, na Chocolate Hills na sinira namin or ano pang ginagawa namin. ‘Yung Chocolate Hills iniingatan po namin,” Sablas added.
Senator Nancy Binay has called for a Senate investigation into how the resort was allowed to be built in a protected area.
Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ordered the temporary suspension of a resort in the Chocolate Hills after viral images showed a swimming pool built at the foot of the declared National Geological Monument.
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