Arroyo also gave the order to Basilan Governor Wahab Akbar while she was in Lamitan, Basilan, after learning of the rampant cutting of trees in the three provinces under the region.
Mrs. Arroyo was in Lamitan, Basilan, Friday to cut the ceremonial ribbon of the Badjao Housing project at Barangay Kulay Bato and meet with some Muslim leaders of the community to bring closer ties between the government and the Muslims people in the countryside.
The President ordered ARMM police director Sr. Supt Sukarno Ikbala to adopt appropriate measures in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to stop the rampant cutting of trees in the three provinces.
She was visibly irked upon learning that the three provinces in ARMM continue to cut down trees and local government units in the area seem to be tolerating the loggers.
She asked Hussin to ask members of his legislative assembly in the region to adopt proper measures to immediately address the problem in his region.
"It is very sad to know that despite of the poor forest resources we have in the countryside, here in Basilan, Sulu and in Languyan, Tawi-Tawi the cutting of trees continues unabated," the President told reporters.
Basilan province has a total forested area of 229,000 hectares, only five percent or about 9, 738 hectares have been left untouched until today.
The cutting of trees is rampant in Tawi-Tawi and administration agencies concerned could not do anything to stop the malpractice.
The logging activities in Basilan and in Languyan, Tawi-Tawi are being undertaken on a large scale, but no apprehension has been made by military units in the area.
Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Economic Development Council Jesus Dureza also expressed deep concern upon learning of the report.
Dureza said he will personally ask ARMM Regional Governor Hussin to report to him from time to time the development on the order of Mrs. Arroyo to stop totally the cutting of trees in these provinces.
He said as chair of MEDCO, it is also his concern to make sure that the ecosystem of the province is in perfect condition.
Dureza also affirmed reports that some rivers in Basilan province are running dry while the others are about to dry up.
