The Bureau of Corrections has assured no jail facilities will be constructed in the 270-hectare lot it legally owns in the Masungi Georeserve in Tanay, Rizal.

BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang, however, said a detachment facility for forest rangers will have to be built.

"Detachment for forest rangers will have to be built to secure the lot under our jurisdiction and we have an obligation and responsibilities in the conservation of the area as part of national heritage and we are one with the Filipino people in preserving our natural resources,” Catapang said in a statement.

BuCor issued the statement after Sen. Loren Legarda asked the agency to refrain from constructing establishments in the area.

“The Bucor chief assured the good senator that the Bucor with the guidance of Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla is committed not to use the Masungi property for any purpose that will adversely affect the ecology and sustainability of the area,” the BuCor said in the statement.

The BuCor noted that the 270 hectare property in Masungi was awarded to the bureau when Proclamation No. 1158 was signed in 2006 by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Catapang added 20 to 30 hectares out of the 270 hectares “vacant spaces” at the bottom part of the Masungi will be used for the detachment without disturbing the landscape of the area.

“The bureau with proper coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will also conduct delineation survey sometime next month but do not misconstrue this to anything because we only want to determine the meets and bounds of BuCor Property that we need to secure,” Catapang explained.