The Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC) and the Diocese of Marbel have asked the Supreme Court to allow public access to environmental information on alleged “ghost” flood-control and dredging projects, as well as large-scale mining and other environmentally critical ventures.
In a petition filed last week (Nov. 17), the groups urged the High Court to strike down as unconstitutional the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) Freedom of Information (FOI) Manual, which they say effectively blocks communities from scrutinizing the environmental impact of 447 major projects already granted Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECCs).
Among the documents they sought are the Environmental Impact Statements, studies, and related records of controversial operations—including the reported ghost flood-control projects and the Tampakan Copper-Gold Project in South Cotabato, a 26,501-hectare concession touted as one of the world’s largest copper-gold mines. The project overlaps a critical watershed feeding major river basins that irrigate South Cotabato’s farms and supply water to communities.
“Today we took a step toward greater transparency and accountability,” the petitioners said in a news release posted online. “How can a community protect its land, its water, its future without the full picture? Meaningful access to information isn’t just a policy—it’s the foundation of informed consent and the key to defending our right to a healthful ecology.”
The petition asks the Supreme Court to issue a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and/or Writ of Preliminary Injunction to stop the DENR from enforcing its FOI Manual and to compel the agency to release environmental documents submitted as part of the ECC application process.
Ultimately, LRC and the Diocese of Marbel—acting on behalf of affected communities and the Filipino public—seek a permanent declaration that the DENR’s FOI Manual is unconstitutional.