Comelec asked to hold vote for repeal of oil depot measure

MANILA, Philippines - A group of Manila residents filed a petition asking the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday to conduct a referendum for the repeal of a city ordinance allowing the Pandacan oil depot to continue operating in the city.

Lawyer Vladimir Cabigao said the petition is a “people’s initiative” filed by the Manileño Kontra Abuso (MKA) seeking to repeal Ordinance 8187, which allows the depot of the country’s three largest oil firms – Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., Chevron Philippines Inc. (formerly Caltex), and Petron Corp. – to stay in Pandacan.

“We wish to inform the public that were practically forced to take this action,” the petitioners said.

They claimed the Manila city council did not act on a petition they submitted last June 23, along with 2,000 signatures necessary for initiating the process for the repeal of Ordinance 8187.

The deadline for the city council’s action lapsed last July 23, “with majority members not lifting a finger,” the petitioners said.

They added that their petition “was never seriously considered” because it was neither referred to the proper committee nor placed on the agenda.

Majority of the city council members, who railroaded Ordinance 8187, are determined to stonewall any opposition to the ordinance, the petitioners alleged.

Approximately 1,500 people, marched to the Comelec office in Intramuros, Manila for the filing of the petition, which was signed by Cabigao, Danny Isiderio of Tabak-TF, Tony Santos of the Samahan Ng Magkakapitbahay Sa Timog Balagtas, Paula Paug of Buklod, and Mery Bertolano and Rowena Enaño of the Samahan Ng Nagkakaisa sa Sais Distrito. Councilor Ma. Lourdes Isip-Garcia, who had opposed the ordinance when it was first proposed, joined the march.

Cabigao is also the lawyer of the group Social Justice Society (SJS), which filed a separate petition for declaratory relief, asking the Manila RTC to order the Commission on Audit, Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Customs to audit Petron, Chevron and Shell to check for cartelization and other unfair trade practices. He also asked the Manila court to stop the oil firms from further increasing their petroleum prices.

He said the Comelec has 90 days to decide whether to conduct a referendum. At least two percent of voters from each of Manila’s six districts have to vote for the repeal of the ordinance, he said.

The ordinance would be repealed immediately and with no need for the approval of the mayor or the city council, Cabigao said.

The depot is a source of anxiety since a single accident or terrorist attack could cause a massive explosion, endangering lives and property, the petitioners said.

“We simply cannot stand idly by and allow this danger to our people to remain in our midst,” they said.

The petitioners said the Supreme Court (SC) had already ruled against the depot’s stay in Manila because the oil firms could not guarantee the “absolute safety” of the depot in the face of security threats.

The SC also said the depot’s protective measures were “directed towards their internal security and did not include the prevention of an external attack,” according to the petitioners. 

As for Ordinance 8187 allowing highly pollutive, extremely hazardous industries to stay in Manila, the petitioners said the trend worldwide is for such industries to be relocated away from cities.

They said that when Ordinance 8187 was passed into law, the city council did not consult any environmental, health or safety experts.

“Our aim is clear. We are fighting for the relocation of the Pandacan oil depots to the countryside where it will not pose any danger or harm to people, nor cause any potential destruction to property,” the petitioners said.