Sabangan forest protected

The Supreme Court disclosed that it has permanently halted the construction, improvement and other activities which caused irreparable damage to a forest zone in Sabangan, Mountain Province.

In a ruling penned by Associate Justice Jhosep Y. Lopez, it has dismissed the consolidated petitions filed by Rose Maliones and others challenging the Court of Appeals' endorsement of environmental reliefs granted by the Regional Trial Court in favor of Mario S. Timario Jr., and others.

A citizen suit was initiated by respondents on 30 October 2015, seeking enforcement of environmental laws and protection orders against petitioners who allegedly obtained tax declarations for land in Barangay Data, Sabangan.

They claimed that petitioners' improvements on the land restricted public use and violated environmental laws, leading to the exclusion of the public.

Concerns were also raised about petitioners' violations of environmental laws, including Presidential Decree 705, for allegedly occupying and destroying parts of the public forest.

The respondents are aiming to restrain petitioners from earth-moving activities, tree-cutting, kaingin, and the use of fertilizers and pesticides, citing threats to the public forest.

While not asserting ownership, the respondents requested the cancellation of tax declarations issued to petitioners.

The RTC issued a TEPO on 5 November 2015, and was later made permanent on 10 October 2016, enjoining petitioners' activities.

The lower court also directed the DENR-CAR to prevent the conversion of the forest zone and facilitate tree planting.