By Benjamin Cuaresma
QUEZON CITY, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Sunday firmly denied allegations that it released pesticide or chemical agents against protesters gathered outside its Central Office along Visayas Avenue, clarifying that the visible mist in the area was the result of its regularly scheduled disinfection activities.
In a statement, the agency said the fogging operation is routinely conducted every Sunday as part of workplace sanitation measures and was not intended to disperse demonstrators or control crowds.
“We assure the public that the mist seen in the video was from routine defogging on Sundays. It is disinfectant mist, compliant with workplace hygiene standards. It is not used for crowd control,” the DENR said.
The agency also dismissed accusations that the mist contained pesticide or any chemical substance designed for law enforcement or anti-riot operations.
The clarification came after progressive organizations from Southern Tagalog alleged that pesticide had been released while they were staging a protest outside the DENR headquarters on July 26, as part of a caravan leading up to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The demonstrators criticized what they described as environmentally destructive government policies, accusing authorities of allowing projects that have degraded mountain ecosystems and displaced rural communities.
They likewise opposed several renewable energy ventures in Southern Tagalog, claiming these projects primarily benefit large corporations and foreign investors rather than local communities.
Despite the allegations over the mist, the protesters continued with their planned activities, including a symbolic head-shaving ceremony intended to represent the denudation of forests and their commitment to protecting the environment.
Meanwhile, the DENR maintained that no chemical agents for crowd control were deployed during the demonstration.
Supporting the agency’s statement, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) reported that the rally concluded peacefully without any untoward incident, indicating that the protest proceeded without violence or confrontation between demonstrators and authorities.
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