NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

Atty. Patrick D.L. Maglinao, LLM

1. Environmental degradation
2. Legal Framework
a. Constitution
i. Article 1 (National Territory)
1. Magallona, et al v. Executive Secretary, et al., G.R. No. 187167,
16 July 2011
ii. Article 2 (Declaration of State Principles and Policies)
1. Section 15
a. Hilarion M. Henares, Jr. v. LTFRB and DOTC, G.R. No.
158290, 23 October 2006
2. Section 16
a. Minors Oposa, et al. v. DENR Secretary Factoran, et al,
G.R. No. 101083, 30 July 1993
b. Felipe Ysmael, Jr. v. Secretary of Environment and
Natural Resources, G.R. No. 79538, 18 October 1990
3. Section 22
a. Carino v. Insular Government, 212 US 449, 23 February
1909
b. Cruz v. NCIP, G.R. No. 135385, 6 December 2000
4. Section 25
a. SJS v. Atienza, G.R. No. 156052, 7 March 2007
iii. Article 3 (Bill of Rights)
1. Chavez v. Public Estates Authority and Amari Coastal Bay
Development Corporation, G.R. No. 133250, 9 July 2002
2. Valmonte v. Belmonte, G.R. No. 74930, 13 February 1989
3. Legaspi v. CSC, G.R. No. L-72119, 29 May 1987
iv. Article 10 (Local Government)
1. Section 4
a. Tano vs. Socrates, G.R. No. 110249, 21 August 1997
2. Section 15
a. Chiongbian et al. v. Orbos et al, G.R. No. 96754, 22 June
1995
b. Sultan Mohamad Ali B. Dimaporo v. COMELEC, G.R.
No. 93201-04, 26 June 1990
v. Article 12 (National Economy)

KMDA 1
 1. Section 1
a. Manila Prince Hotel v. GSIS, G.R. No. 122156, 3
February 1997
2. Section 2
a. Aranda v. Republic G.R. No. 172331, 24 August 2011
b. Miners Association of the Philippines, Inc. vs. Factoran,
Jr. G.R. No. 98332, 6 January 1995
c. Heherson Alvarez v. PICOP Resources, G.R. No.
162243, 164516 & 171875, 3 December 2009
3. Section 3
a. Cruz v. NCIP, G.R. No. 135385, 6 December 2000
b. Republic of the Philippines v. Naguiat, G.R. No. 134209,
4 January 2006
4. Section 4
a. Province of Rizal v. Executive Secretary, G.R. No.
129546, 13 December 2005
5. Section 5
a. Alcantara v. Commission on the Settlement of Land
Problems, et al., G.R. No. 145838, 20 July 2001
6. Section 7
a. Cheesman v. IAC, G.R. No. 74833, 21 January 1991.
vi. Articles 13 (Social Justice and Human Rights)
1. Section 6
a. Gavino Corpuz v. Sps. Gorospe, G.R. No. 135297, 8
June 2000
2. Section 7
a. People vs. Maximo Maceren, et al., G.R. No. L-32166,
18 October 1977
b. National legislation and administrative issuances
3. Institutional Framework for Environmental and National Resources
a. Executive Branch
b. Congress and local legislature
i. MMDA et al. v. Concerned Citizens of Manila Bay, G.R. No. 171947-
48, 18 December 2008
c. Quasi-Judicial Agencies
d. Non-Government Insitutions
4. Environmental Impact Assessment and Development Planning
a. PD No. 1151
b. DENR Administrative Order No. 2003-30

KMDA 2
 i. Republic v. City of Davao, G.R. No. 148622, 12 September 2002
ii. Boracay Foundation Inc. v. The Province of Aklan represented by
Governor Carlito S. Marquez
5. Revised Forestry Code (PD No. 705)
a. Evolution of Forest Policies
b. Governing Law
c. State Policy
i. Multiple land use
d. Criminal Offenses and Penalties
i. Cutting, gathering and/or collecting timber or other products
1. Two distinct offenses punished under Section 68, PD No. 705 as
amended
2. Violations of Section 68 is punished as qualified theft
3. Lumber is processed log or timber
4. DENR has jurisdiction over confiscation of forest products and
conveyances used in the commission of the offense
5. Confiscation proceedings under AO No. 59 different from the
confiscation under the RPC, which is an additional penalty
imposed in the event of conviction
ii. Unlawful occupation or destruction of forest lands
iii. Pasturing livestock
iv. Illegal occupation of national parks system and recreation areas and
vandalism therein
v. Survey by unauthorized persons
vi. Misclassification and survey by government official or employee
vii. Arrest; institution of criminal action
1. Search and seizure without warrant
2. Forest products and other items seized and confiscation upon
authority of the DENR Secretary is beyond the reach of replevin
a. People of the Philippines v. Alfonso Dator and Benito
Genol, G.R. No. 136142, 24 October 2000
b. Pato v. CA, G.R. No. 111107, 10 January 1997
c. Mustang Lumber v. CA, G.R. No. 104988, 18 June 1996
6. Philippine Mining Act of 1995 (RA No. 7942)
a. Governing Law
b. Evolution of pertinent mining laws
c. Ownership of mineral resources
d. Rights of a locator to a perfected mining claim
e. Mineral reservations

KMDA 3
 f. Penal Provisions
i. False Statement
ii. Illegal exploration
iii. Theft of minerals
iv. Destruction of mining structures
v. Mines arson
vi. Willful damage to mine
vii. Illegal obstruction to permittees or contractors
viii. Violation of the terms and conditions of environmental compliance
certificate
ix. Obstruction of government officials
x. Other violations
1. La Bugal-B’laan Tribal Association v. Ramos, G.R. No.
127882, 1 December 2004
2. Didipio Earth-Saver’s Multi-Purpose Association v. Gozun,
G.R. No. 157882, 30 March 2006
7. Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 (RA No. 8550)
a. Municipal Fisheries
i. Jurisdiction of municipal/city governments
1. Tano et al., v. Socrates, et al., G.R. No. 110249, 21 August 1997
ii. Use of municipal waters
iii. Registry of municipal fisherfolks
iv. Priority of resident municipal fisherfolks
v. The “preferential right” of subsistence or marginal fishermen to the use
of water resources not absolute
b. Commercial Fisheries
c. Aquaculture
d. Fishery Reserves, Refuge and Sanctuaries
e. Prohibition and Penalties
i. Unauthorized fishing or engaging in other unauthorized fisher activities
ii. Poaching in Philippine waters
iii. Other violations
iv. Executive control
v. Enactment of ordinances by LGUs
vi. Seizure without warrant of fishing vessels breaching fishery laws
8. Industrial, Air and Water Pluution
a. Waste Management and Sanitation
i. Section 3, Paragraph C, RA 7924 creating the Metro Manila
Development Authority

KMDA 4
 ii. Section 19, RA 9275 (Clean Water Act of 2004)
iii. Section 48 of RA 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of
2000)
iv. Section 4 of PD 601 (Revised Coast Guard Law of 1974)
v. Section 17 and 20 of the Environmental Code (PD 1152)
vi. Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001
1. ERB abolished, powers and functions of ERB transferred to
ERC
a. A public utility must submit to government regulations
b. ERC has authority to issue provisional rate increases
c. Application for rate adjustment or any relief affecting the
consumers must be verified and published
vii. Philippine Clean Air Act (RA No. 8749)
1. Henares v. Land Franchising and Regulatory Board, G.R. No.
158290, 23 October 2006
2. MMDA v. JANCOM Environmental Corporation, G.R. No.
14746, 30 January 2002
a. Pollution from Stationary Sources
b. Pollution from Motor Vehicles
c. Pollution from other sources
i. Pollution from smoking
ii. Poluution from other mobile source
b. Other pollutants
i. Ozone Depleting substance
ii. Greenhouse gases
iii. Radioactive emissions
c. Citizen suits
d. Suits and strategies Legal Actions against Public
Participation (SLAPP) and the Enforcement of the Act
3. Philippine Clean Water Act (RA No. 9275)
a. Water quality management area
b. Management of non-attainment areas
c. Domestic sewage collection, treatment and disposal
d. The Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB) is the agency
generally charged with the determination and resolution
of pollution cases
i. Cease and Desist Order
ii. Temporary Lifting Order
iii. Arbitration

KMDA 5
 iv. Adjudication of pollution cases generally pertains
to PAB unless a special law provides for another
forum
9. Rules of Procedure for Environment Cases
a. Objectives
b. Salient Features
c. Surveys of Writ of Kalikasan
i. Philippine Earth Justice Center Inc. v. Secretary of DENR, et al.
ii. Agham Party List v. lnl Archipelago Minerals, Inc.
iii. Writ of Kalikasan issues against a reclamation project in Manila

References:
Fernando, Emmanuel, Environmental Ethics and Law, 2012 ed.
Agcaoili, Oswaldo, Law on Natural Resources and Environmental Law Developments
La Viña, Antonio G. Phiippine Law and Ecology Volume I: National Laws and Policies

KMDA 6