ANGELES CITY -- The Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 59 has issued a temporary environmental protection order (TEPO) for some 259 trees along the Friendship Circumferential Road where a road widening project is being implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highway (DPWH).
With issuance of the TEPO, the Save the Trees Coalition (STC) stated that "our trees are temporary protected as we await the next proceedings. A small victory for us, "so-called environmentalist," but a victory still."
"Wherefore, premises considered, a Temporary Environmental Protection Order is hereby issued in favor of the plaintiffs, enjoining the defendants, their subordinates and personnel, and all persons acting under their authority or through their authority or instructions, from cutting, harming, injuring, earthballing or transferring the subject trees and/or other actions that will result to the prejudice of the subject trees along the stretch of Filipino-American Friendship Circumferential Road in Angeles City until termination of this case," the RTC order stated.
The STC thanked its legal team and the 20,000 residents who signed the petition stopping the cutting the trees.
“We, at STC and the Friendship 259 Trees are grateful for the steadfast courage our plaintiffs showed. We thank the 20,000 plus petitioners who lent their voices to the trees,” the coalition said.
Heeding the appeal of Mayor Carmelo "Pogi" Lazatin Jr., DPWH suspended the cutting of the trees.
The mayor cited strong opposition from environmentalists including the STC, media, and residents around the city.
The DPWH is implementing a road expansion project to ease the traffic congestion in the vital access road leading to the Clark Freeport.