MANILA (October 31) — The Supreme Court has ordered President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and several top officials to respond to a petition seeking a writ of kalikasan over alleged environmental violations linked to the government’s flood control projects.
In its October 15 order, the High Court directed Marcos, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, and Senate President Vicente Sotto III to file their comments on the case, along with several key government agencies — including the Departments of Budget and Management (DBM), Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and the River Basin Control Office.
The petition, filed last September 11 by a group of lawyers and environmental advocates, accuses the government of “long years of neglect and willful destruction” that have allegedly caused severe environmental degradation in flood-prone areas.
A writ of kalikasan is a legal remedy protecting citizens’ constitutional right to a balanced and healthful ecology, especially when threatened by government or corporate actions.
The Supreme Court’s move comes as the Department of Justice recently issued Immigration Lookout Bulletin Orders (ILBOs) against 19 individuals linked to the alleged flood control project anomalies, adding to the 33 lawmakers already placed on the travel watchlist earlier this month.
The court’s directive marks a significant step in addressing the widening controversy over flood control projects — an issue that environmental groups say has deep implications for both public accountability and ecological protection.
