Court denies TRO vs. EDC's geothermal project
Student-scholars of Energy Development
Corporation (EDC) have shown their
support to the geothermal firm during
the hearing of the temporary restraining
order at the Hall of Justice.
BACOLOD CITY -- The Regional Trial Court (RTC) here denied the motion for a temporary restraining order (TRO) filed by several groups opposing the geothermal project of Energy Development Corporation (EDC) within the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park (MKNP) buffer zone.
The TRO was meant to stop the cutting of trees at the buffer zone as initial stage of the EDC project.
RTC Branch 44 Presiding Judge Rodney Bolunia did not grant the TRO against EDC because defendants Protected Area Management Board (PAM-B) and Department of Energy (DOE) failed to receive the amended complaint.
It was already the second time that defendants claimed of not receiving the amended complaint.
Plaintiffs represented by Atty. Andrea Si and Atty. Andres Hagad presented to the witness stand Mrs Delia Edil Trudes Locsin, once a member of the PAM-B, who represented the Paghili-usa sa Paghidaet (Peace for Unity).
Locsin said that she filed the class suit because she believes that the forests are so threatened by the activity of the EDC. She believes that trees are a source of life and what they are doing is a violation to the healthful living.
Defendants were represented by Atty. Thomas Laragan of the Office of the Solicitor General, representing the Secretary of the Department of Energy, and Atty. Alexis Jacoba, representing the EDC.
They earlier manifested that the proceedings could be nullified due to lack of jurisdiction as their clients failed to receive summons.
Judge Bolunia has given the plaintiffs five days to file their position and comment on the motion to dismiss submitted for the resolution of the court. The next hearing will be on September 24, 2008.
Meanwhile, outside the courtroom pro and anti EDC groups conducted a picket to express their respective positions.
The pro-EDC group was led by Edmund Cantanilla, President of Minoyan, Mailum Action Farmers Federation, Inc.
Around 1,000 supporters from Upper Minoyan, Murcia and Mailum, Bago City joined the picket to defend the EDC project.
The anti-EDC group, on the other hand, was composed of aroun 200 environmentalists with the support of Catholic Bishop Vicente Navarra and other priests and nuns.