DAVAO CITY, Philippines -The Court of Appeal (CA) denied a petition for Temporary Environmental Protection Order (TEPO) sought by environmental groups to halt the construction of the Samal Island-Davao City (SIDC) Connector Bridge Project.
In their resolution released on Friday, July 11, the CA said “Issuing a TEPO at this stage would cause undue disruption to a government infrastructure project already in progress and may potentially harm the greater public interest.”
The resolution also said that the “petitioners failed to demonstrate that the case pertains to matters of extreme urgency and that grave injustice and/or irreparable injury will arise if no TEPO is issued at his stage of the proceedings,”
The decision was penned by Associate Justice Anisah B. Amanodin-Umpa, with concurrence from Associate Justices Evalyn Arellano-Morales and Jill Rose S. Jaugan-Lo.
On July 1, the Supreme Court issued a writ of kalikasan based on the environment groups’ petition who said that the alignment of the bridge poses “irreversible damage” to the marine ecosystem in Paradise Reef ni Samal Island, and Hizon Marine Protected Area in Davao City
The SIDC Bridge is a P23-billion project largely funded by China and constructed by China Road and Building Corporation (CRBC) that started construction in late 2023.
The bridge takes off in Barangay Hizon in Davao and ends in Barangay Limao, Babak District atop Costa Marina Resort in Samal Island, which has raised objections from environmental groups and the Rodriguez family that owns Costa Marina and Paradise Resort.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) XI reports the project is already 38.07% complete, ahead of schedule.
A statement from the petitioners — Ecoteneo, Sustainable Davao Movement, Interfacing Development Interventions and Sustainability (IDIS), and Dyesabel Philippines — expressed disappointment with the CA resolution.
“This decision allows continued harm to ecosystems that sustain not only marine life, but livelihood and food sources of coastal communities,” the statement read.
The group maintained that they have findings submitted by marine biologists that documented destruction of corals, sedimentation impact and declining fish catch.
One of the petitioners clarified that they were not opposed to plans regarding the bridge, which is widely supported by both Samal and Davao residents to ease transportation. Rather, they are questioning the plan made by government agencies and CRBC without considering alternatives they said would leave lesser impact to the environment
“We did not come to obstruct development. We came to defend the law, protect biodiversity, speak up with our fisherfolks, and hold public institutions accountable for failing to consider less harmful alternatives,” said Carmela Santos, spokesperson of Sustainable Davao Movement.
The Supreme Court will still proceed with the writ of kalikasan hearing, which expects responses from DPWH XI and Department of Environment and Natural Resources XI that will defend the project.(davaotoday,com)
