The Department of Interior and Local Government will look into possible accountability of the local government unit in Bohol for the establishment of a resort within the Chocolate Hills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a protected area.

"I join the public in its profound concern over the establishment of a pool resort within the Chocolate Hills in Bohol. Chocolate Hills is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a protected area under Proclamation No. 1037, series of 1997 and Republic Act No. 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992," Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. said in a statement on Thursday.

"Any activity that disturbs or damages protected areas such as the Chocolate Hills, without proper authorization, is prohibited by law. We will look into the accountability of the local government units concerned," he added.

Abalos noted that the DILG will not hesitate to pursue appropriate legal actions "should there be neglect of duty or any other irregularity on the part of the officials tasked with protecting and overseeing the area".

In a radio interview, Felito Pon, the executive secretary of the office of the Mayor of Sagbayan Bohol said Mayor Restituto Suarez III ordered on Wednesday the revocation of business permit of the Captain's Peak Garden and Resort after they knew about the temporary closure order issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) against the establishment since 2023.

Pon said following the concerns about the establishment of Captain's Peak Garden and Resort, Suarez also ordered the local government personnel to look into any possible violation of another resort in their town known as Sagbayan Peak.

"Yesterday our mayor issued a revocation order for the business permit here in Sagbayan, he also ordered us to look into Sagbayan Peak if there are any possible violations there," he said.

In a statement, the DENR said it issued a temporary closure order on Sept. 4, 2023 and a notice of violation to the project proponent last January 22, 2024 for operating without an environmental clearance certificate. The DDENR ordered its regional executive order to its Bohol officials to inspect if Captain's Peak complied with the temporary closure order. Robina Asido/DMS