The Court of Appeals has instructed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to address complaints against Altai Philippines Mining Corporation concerning its operations in Sibuyan Island. However, the court denied the residents' petition for a Writ of Kalikasan, which sought to halt mining activities due to environmental concerns.
The residents sought the issuance of a Writ of Kalikasan to stop the mining operations and protect the environment.
The decision pointed out that the petitioners had failed to substantiate the claim that the environmental impact of APMC's operations warranted such drastic legal intervention.
Specifically, the court emphasized that the alleged damage was limited to the island province of Romblon, rather than extending to multiple cities or provinces as required by environmental case procedures.
Moreover, the expiration of permits and the issuance of a joint order suspending APMC's operations further complicated the legal landscape. Despite these complexities, the court took a firm stance against what it deemed “forum shopping” – the act of pursuing multiple legal actions for the same cause.
In its ruling, the court underscored the importance of exhausting administrative remedies before resorting to judicial intervention.
Altai, last year, asserted its compliance with regulations and emphasized its possession of necessary permits to extract and transport nickel ore samples in Sibuyan Island, Romblon.
