Thursday, December 20, 2007 IBP Cebu City to organize team of lawyers for environment cases
THE Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu City chapter is considering organizing a team to prosecute environmental cases.
IBP Cebu City President Briccio Boholst also said he is strongly supporting a petition filed before the Supreme Court (SC) for the protection of Tañon Strait.
The team of lawyers Boholst is proposing can also act as prosecutors of cases related to the protection of Tañon Strait.
A team of lawyers is asking the SC to stop the oil exploration in Tañon, alleging that the activity will irreversibly damage the area’s marine ecosystem.
The lawyers, from the IBP-National Environment Action Team, signed the petition as “legal guardians” of the mammals in the body of water.
Boholst, however, clarified that his proposal for an environmental team still needs the consent of other members of the IBP Cebu City board.
This will be discussed during their next meeting, he said.
Once approved, lawyers can then volunteer their services to the team, which will act on cases related to protection of the environment.
Boholst said the proposed “environment defense team” will act on all cases involving the environment, not just on the protection of Tañon Strait.
Various groups are asking the courts to stop an oil exploration by a Japanese company in Tañon Strait, off the coast of Pinamungajan town.
One of the petitions aims to ask the SC to give mammals that will be affected by the exploration “legal standing.”
The company has previously said that measures have been put in place to make sure the marine ecosystem and the mammals that live in the strait will be protected. (KNT)
