MANILA, Oct. 24, 2011—With the Supreme Court’s denial of their petition for clarification with regards to the Manila Bay cleanup project, the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said the High Tribunal seems not so keen in clarifying things but favoring the chosen few instead.
In a statement, Pamalakaya national chair Fernando “Ka Pando” Hicap that the recent ruling on the controversial Manila Bay cleanup is but a grave denial of truth and justice to small fisherfolks that will be affected by the implementation of said project.
“Instead of taking our motion as judicial opportunity to clarify matters on Supreme Court decision on Manila Bay rehabilitation, the high tribunal grossly ignored, and therefore grossly committed a major political and moral blunder. The SC denial of our motion for clarification is an across-the-country tragedy and supreme act of injustice,” said Hicap, seconded by Salvador France, the group’s vice chairperson.
“It is a judicial massacre of our collective and constitutional right to seek truth and justice before the high tribunal. We hope Chief Justice Renato Corona and the 14 other justices would reconsider the decision and start new round of legal debate on the Manila Bay clean up ruling that chiefly targets the livelihoods of marginalized fisherfolk and the marine environment in favor of big reclamation projects and in favor of big business interests,” said France.
The SC had junked the petition filed by Atty. Jobert Ilarde Pahilga, on behalf of Pamalakaya and Anakpawis party list represented by Hicap, France and Pamalakaya-Southern Tagalog chairperson Pedro Gonzales and Anakpawis secretary general Cherry Clemente due to lack of merit.
In the said petition, the groups asked the SC if the demolition of fisherfolk communities surrounding the bay and the reclamation of the huge part of the Manila Bay’s water and land areas are allowed based on the earlier decision of the High Court upholding the legality of the Manila Bay cleanup project.
They even told the SC, through the denied petition, that the reclamation part of the project would destroy the only bird sanctuary in Parañaque City, a gross violation of the existing environmental laws and statutes in the Philippines. [Noel Sales Barcelona/CBCPNews]
