The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, that it has filed a criminal case against the company behind the Monterrazas residential project in Cebu City.
“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 the Revised Forestry Code against the corporation,” DENR Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs and Enforcement, Atty. Norlito Eneran, said in a press conference.
The violation pertains to the unlawful possession of implements and devices used by forest officers.
This is punishable by two to four years in prison, a P1,000 to P10,000 fine, confiscation of the items, and automatic cancellation of permit or license.
In November 2025, DENR initially identified three violations allegedly committed in the construction of the high-end residential project and its retention pond.
One of these violations identified was that out of over 700 trees in 2022, only 11 remain after a tree-cutting permit was obtained for the project.
DENR said the project allegedly violated Section 77 of Presidential Decree 705, the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippine 1975, and Presidential Decree 1586 or the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement System.
It added that Monterrazas also allegedly failed to acquire a discharge permit in accordance with the provisions of the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004.
The agency said the planned centralized retention pond and 15 additional structures meant to capture rainwater are still considered inadequate.
Monterrazas had also allegedly violated 10 out of 33 Environmental Compliance Certificates or ECCs, the DENR added.
GMA News Online has reached out to Mont Property Group for comment.
In November, Mont Property Group, the developer of the upscale hillside residential development Monterrazas de Cebu, denied that it cut down 700 trees. Read story: https://www.gmanetwork.com/regionaltv/news/111412/monterrazas-welcomes-probe-denies-causing-deadly-cebu-floods/story/
Original article written by Joviland Arita, GMA News Online
