SC stops Benguet road project

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday stopped the implementation of a government road project on Mt. Santo Tomas in Tuba, Benguet, which has reportedly been causing contamination in dams that supply water to Baguio City residents.

In a session presided by acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio, the high court issued a temporary environmental protection order (TEPO) stopping the project of Baguio Rep. Nicasio Aliping.

The SC granted a petition for a writ of kalikasan filed by Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas last week.

The TEPO directed Aliping to refrain from developing the property on the Mt. Santo Tomas forest reserve.

The lawmaker was also ordered to immediately take steps to mitigate the contamination of the Amliang dams.

The SC ordered Tuba Mayor Florencio Benitez to stop issuing tax declarations over lands within the forest reserve.

The high court referred the case to the Court of Appeals for resolution. 

 It ordered Aliping, Benitez, town police commander Chief Inspector William Willie, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and several provincial environment officials to answer Villegas’ petition.

Villegas alleged that the project weakened the slopes of the mountain, resulting in landslide, particularly during heavy downpour.

He said at least 300 trees and 455 saplings were cut down for the road construction starting from Mt. Kabuyao highway to Sitio Amliang and Sitio Bekel in Barangay Poblacion. 

The petitioner said soil erosion from the project contaminated the dams.

He also asked the SC to order the DENR to take immediate action to protect Mt. Santo Tomas, including deployment of personnel who will guard against cutting of trees, illegal excavation and other forms of earth-moving activities.