Ak1ICLL kII

NA1ICNAL LCCNCM AND A1kIMCN

SecLlon 2 All lands of Lhe publlc domaln waLers mlnerals coal peLroleum and oLher mlneral olls
all forces of poLenLlal energy flsherles foresLs or Llmber wlldllfe flora and fauna and oLher naLural
resources are owned by Lhe SLaLe WlLh Lhe excepLlon of agrlculLural lands all oLher naLural
resources shall noL be allenaLed 1he exploraLlon developmenL and uLlllzaLlon of naLural resources
shall be under Lhe full conLrol and supervlslon of Lhe SLaLe 1he SLaLe may dlrecLly underLake such
acLlvlLles or lL may enLer lnLo coproducLlon [olnL venLure or producLlonsharlng agreemenLs wlLh
llllplno clLlzens or corporaLlons or assoclaLlons aL leasL slxLy pet ceotom of whose caplLal ls owned
by such clLlzens Such agreemenLs may be for a perlod noL exceedlng LwenLyflve years renewable
for noL more Lhan LwenLyflve years and under such Lerms and condlLlons as may be provlded by
law ln cases of waLer rlghLs for lrrlgaLlon waLer supply flsherles or lndusLrlal uses oLher Lhan Lhe
developmenL of waLer power beneflclal use may be Lhe measure and llmlL of Lhe granL
1he SLaLe shall proLecL Lhe naLlons marlne wealLh ln lLs archlpelaglc waLers LerrlLorlal sea and
excluslve economlc zone and reserve lLs use and en[oymenL excluslvely Lo llllplno clLlzens
1he Congress may by law allow smallscale uLlllzaLlon of naLural resources by llllplno clLlzens as
well as cooperaLlve flsh farmlng wlLh prlorlLy Lo subslsLence flshermen and flsh workers ln rlvers
lakes bays and lagoons
1he resldenL may enLer lnLo agreemenLs wlLh forelgnowned corporaLlons lnvolvlng elLher Lechnlcal
or flnanclal asslsLance for largescale exploraLlon developmenL and uLlllzaLlon of mlnerals
peLroleum and oLher mlneral olls accordlng Lo Lhe general Lerms and condlLlons provlded by law
based on real conLrlbuLlons Lo Lhe economlc growLh and general welfare of Lhe counLry ln such
agreemenLs Lhe SLaLe shall promoLe Lhe developmenL and use of local sclenLlflc and Lechnlcal
resources
1he resldenL shall noLlfy Lhe Congress of every conLracL enLered lnLo ln accordance wlLh Lhls
provlslon wlLhln LhlrLy days from lLs execuLlon
SecLlon 3 Lands of Lhe publlc domaln are classlfled lnLo agrlculLural foresL or Llmber mlneral lands
and naLlonal parks AgrlculLural lands of Lhe publlc domaln may be furLher classlfled by law accordlng
Lo Lhe uses Lo whlch Lhey may be devoLed Allenable lands of Lhe publlc domaln shall be llmlLed Lo
agrlculLural lands rlvaLe corporaLlons or assoclaLlons may noL hold such allenable lands of Lhe
publlc domaln excepL by lease for a perlod noL exceedlng LwenLyflve years renewable for noL more
Lhan LwenLyflve years and noL Lo exceed one Lhousand hecLares ln area ClLlzens of Lhe hlllpplnes
may lease noL more Lhan flve hundred hecLares or acqulre noL more Lhan Lwelve hecLares Lhereof
by purchase homesLead or granL
1aklng lnLo accounL Lhe requlremenLs of conservaLlon ecology and developmenL and sub[ecL Lo Lhe
requlremenLs of agrarlan reform Lhe Congress shall deLermlne by law Lhe slze of lands of Lhe publlc
domaln whlch may be acqulred developed held or leased and Lhe condlLlons Lherefor
SecLlon 4 1he Congress shall as soon as posslble deLermlne by law Lhe speclflc llmlLs of foresL
lands and naLlonal parks marklng clearly Lhelr boundarles on Lhe ground 1hereafLer such foresL
lands and naLlonal parks shall be conserved and may noL be lncreased nor dlmlnlshed excepL by law
1he Congress shall provlde for such perlod as lL may deLermlne measures Lo prohlblL logglng ln
endangered foresLs and waLershed areas
Cposa vs Iactoran
lacLs
lalnLlffs who are mlnors represenLed by Lhelr parenLs alleged LhaL Lhe Lhen uLn8 SecreLary
lulgenclo lacLoran !r's conLlnued approval of Lhe 1lmber Llcense AgreemenLs (1LAs) Lo numerous
commerclal logglng companles Lo cuL and deforesL Lhe remalnlng foresLs of Lhe counLry wlll work
greaL damage and ln[ury Lo Lhe plalnLlffs and Lhelr successors uefendanL Lhrough Lhe Cfflce of Lhe
SollclLor Ceneral (CSC) avers LhaL Lhe plalnLlffs falled Lo sLaLe a speclflc rlghL vlolaLed by Lhe
defendanL and LhaL Lhe quesLlon of wheLher logglng should be permlLLed ln Lhe counLry ls a pollLlcal
quesLlon and cannoL be Lrled ln Lhe CourLs 1he 81C of MakaLl 8ranch 66 granLed defendanL's
moLlon Lo dlsmlss
lssue
WheLher peLlLloners have a cause of acLlon
Peld
?es
8aLlo
?es peLlLloners have a cause of acLlon 1he case aL bar ls of common lnLeresL Lo all llllplnos 1he
rlghL Lo a balanced and healLhy ecology carrles wlLh lL Lhe correlaLlve duLy Lo refraln from lmpalrlng
Lhe envlronmenL 1he sald rlghL lmplles Lhe [udlclous managemenL of Lhe counLry's foresLs 1hls rlghL
ls also Lhe mandaLe of Lhe governmenL Lhrough uLn8 A denlal or vlolaLlon of LhaL rlghL by Lhe oLher
who has Lhe correlaLlve duLy or obllgaLlon Lo respecL or proLecL Lhe same glves rlse Lo a cause of
acLlon All llcenses may Lhus be revoked or resclnded by execuLlve acLlon
1he lasL ground lnvoked by Lhe Lrlal courL ln dlsmlsslng Lhe complalnL ls Lhe nonlmpalrmenL of
conLracLs clause found ln Lhe ConsLlLuLlon 1he courL f poo declared LhaL
1he CourL ls llkewlse of Lhe lmpresslon LhaL lL cannoL no maLLer how we sLreLch our
[urlsdlcLlon granL Lhe rellefs prayed for by Lhe plalnLlffs le Lo cancel all exlsLlng
Llmber llcense agreemenLs ln Lhe counLry and Lo cease and deslsL from recelvlng
accepLlng processlng renewlng or approvlng new Llmber llcense agreemenLs lor Lo
do oLherwlse would amounL Lo lmpalrmenL of conLracLs abhored (slc) by Lhe
fundamenLal law

We are noL persuaded aL all on Lhe conLrary We are amazed lf noL shocked by such a sweeplng
pronouncemenL ln Lhe flrsL place Lhe respondenL SecreLary dld noL for obvlous reasons even
lnvoke ln hls moLlon Lo dlsmlss Lhe nonlmpalrmenL clause lf he had done so he would have acLed
wlLh uLmosL lnfldellLy Lo Lhe CovernmenL by provldlng undue and unwarranLed beneflLs and
advanLages Lo Lhe Llmber llcense holders because he would have forever bound Lhe CovernmenL Lo
sLrlcLly respecL Lhe sald llcenses accordlng Lo Lhelr Lerms and condlLlons regardless of changes ln
pollcy and Lhe demands of publlc lnLeresL and welfare Pe was aware LhaL as correcLly polnLed ouL
by Lhe peLlLloners lnLo every Llmber llcense musL be read SecLlon 20 of Lhe loresLry 8eform Code
(u no 703) whlch provldes
9tovlJeJ 1haL when Lhe naLlonal lnLeresL so requlres Lhe resldenL may amend
modlfy replace or resclnd any conLracL concesslon permlL llcenses or any oLher
form of prlvllege granLed hereln
needless Lo say all llcenses may Lhus be revoked or resclnded by execuLlve acLlon lL ls noL a
conLracL properLy or a properLy rlghL proLesLed by Lhe due process clause of Lhe
ConsLlLuLlon
Ie||pe smae| Ir vs Deputy Lxecut|ve Secretary
lacLs
eLlLloner made Lhe followlng allegaLlons
(a) 1haL on CcLober 12 1963 lL enLered lnLo a Llmber llcense agreemenL deslgnaLed as 1LA no 87
wlLh Lhe ueparLmenL of AgrlculLure and naLural 8esources represenLed by Lhen SecreLary !ose
lellclano whereln lL was lssued an excluslve llcense Lo cuL collecL and remove Llmber excepL
prohlblLed specles wlLhln a speclfled porLlon of publlc foresL land wlLh an area of 34920 hecLares
locaLed ln Lhe munlclpallLy of Maddela provlnce of nueva vlzcaya * from CcLober 12 1963 unLll
!une 30 1990
(b) 1haL on AugusL 18 1983 Lhe ulrecLor of Lhe 8ureau of loresL uevelopmenL herelnafLer referred
Lo as 8ureau ulrecLor Ldmundo CorLes lssued a memorandum order sLopplng all logglng
operaLlons ln nueva vlzcaya and Culrlno provlnces and cancelllng Lhe logglng concesslon of
peLlLloner and nlne oLher foresL concesslonalres pursuanL Lo presldenLlal lnsLrucLlons and a
memorandum order of Lhe MlnlsLer of naLural 8esources 1eodoro ena
(c) 1haL on AugusL 23 1983 peLlLloner recelved a Lelegram from Lhe 8ureau Lhe conLenLs of whlch
were as follows
u8SuAn1 1C 1PL lnS18uC1lCnS Cl 1PL 8LSluLn1 ?Cu A8L 8LCuLS1Lu 1C
S1C ALL LCCClnC CL8A1lCnS 1C CCnSL8vL 8LMAlnlnC lC8LS1S LLASL
CCnuuC1 1PL C8uL8L? uLLCu1 Cl LCCClnC MACPlnL8lLS Anu LCulMLn1
Anu CCC8ulnA1L Wl1P 1PL 8LSLC1lvL ulS18lC1 lC8LS1L8S lC8 1PL lnvLn1C8?
Cl LCCS Cu1 8lC8 1C 1PlS C8uL8 1PL Su8MlSSlCn Cl A CCMLlAnCL 8LC81
Wl1Pln 1Pl81? uA?S SPALL 8L A8LClA1Lu
xxx xxx xxx
(e) 1haL barely one year LhereafLer approxlmaLely onehalf or 26000 hecLares of Lhe area formerly
covered by 1LA no 87 was reawarded Lo 1wln eaks uevelopmenL and 8eallLy CorporaLlon under
1LA no 336 whlch was seL Lo explre on !uly 31 2009 whlle Lhe oLher half was allowed Lo be logged
by llllplnas Loggers lnc wlLhouL Lhe beneflL of a formal award or llcense and
(f) 1haL Lhe laLLer enLlLles were conLrolled or owned by relaLlves or cronles of deposed resldenL
lerdlnand Marcos AcLlng on peLlLloners leLLer Lhe Mn8 Lhrough Lhen MlnlsLer LrnesLo Maceda
lssued an order daLed !uly 22 1986 denylng peLlLloners requesL 1he MlnlsLry ruled LhaL a Llmber
llcense was noL a conLracL wlLhln Lhe due process clause of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon buL only a prlvllege
whlch could be wlLhdrawn whenever publlc lnLeresL or welfare so demands and LhaL peLlLloner was
noL dlscrlmlnaLed agalnsL ln vlew of Lhe facL LhaL lL was among Len concesslonalres whose llcenses
were revoked ln 1983 Moreover emphasls was made of Lhe LoLal ban of logglng operaLlons ln Lhe
provlnces of nueva Lcl[a nueva vlzcaya Culrlno and lfugao lmposed on Aprll 2 1986
lssue
WheLher peLlLloner's 1LA should be relnsLaLed
Peld
no
8aLlo
ubllc respondenLs hereln upon whose shoulders resLs Lhe Lask of lmplemenLlng Lhe pollcy Lo
develop and conserve Lhe counLrys naLural resources have lndlcaLed an ongolng deparLmenL
evaluaLlon of all Llmber llcense agreemenLs enLered lnLo and permlLs or llcenses lssued under Lhe
prevlous dlspensaLlon ln facL boLh Lhe execuLlve and leglslaLlve deparLmenLs of Lhe lncumbenL
admlnlsLraLlon are presenLly Laklng sLock of lLs envlronmenLal pollcles wlLh regard Lo Lhe uLlllzaLlon
of Llmber lands and developlng an agenda for fuLure programs for Lhelr conservaLlon and
rehablllLaLlon
1he ongolng admlnlsLraLlve reassessmenL ls apparenLly ln response Lo Lhe renewed and growlng
global concern over Lhe despollaLlon of foresL lands and Lhe uLLer dlsregard of Lhelr cruclal role ln
susLalnlng a balanced ecologlcal sysLem 1he leglLlmacy of such concern can hardly be dlspuLed
mosL especlally ln Lhls counLry 1he CourL Lakes [udlclal noLlce of Lhe profllgaLe wasLe of Lhe
counLrys foresL resources whlch has noL only resulLed ln Lhe lrreverslble loss of flora and fauna
pecullar Lo Lhe reglon buL has produced even more dlsasLrous and lasLlng economlc and soclal
effecLs 1he dellcaLe balance of naLure havlng been upseL a vlclous cycle of floods and droughLs has
been Lrlggered and Lhe supply of food and energy resources requlred by Lhe people serlously
depleLed
Whlle Lhere ls a deslre Lo harness naLural resources Lo amass proflL and Lo meeL Lhe counLrys
lmmedlaLe flnanclal requlremenLs Lhe more essenLlal need Lo ensure fuLure generaLlons of llllplnos
of Lhelr survlval ln a vlable envlronmenL demands effecLlve and clrcumspecL acLlon from Lhe
governmenL Lo check furLher denudaLlon of whaLever remalns of Lhe foresL lands noLhlng less ls
expecLed of Lhe governmenL ln vlew of Lhe clear consLlLuLlonal command Lo malnLaln a balanced
and healLhful ecology SecLlon 16 of ArLlcle ll of Lhe 1987 ConsLlLuLlon provldes
SLC 16 1he SLaLe shall proLecL and promoLe Lhe rlghL of Lhe people Lo a balanced
and healLhful ecology ln accord wlLh Lhe rhyLhm and harmony of naLure
1lmber llcenses permlLs and llcense agreemenLs are Lhe prlnclpal lnsLrumenLs by whlch Lhe SLaLe
regulaLes Lhe uLlllzaLlon and dlsposlLlon of foresL resources Lo Lhe end LhaL publlc welfare ls
promoLed And lL can hardly be galnsald LhaL Lhey merely evldence a prlvllege granLed by Lhe SLaLe
Lo quallfled enLlLles and do noL vesL ln Lhe laLLer a permanenL or lrrevocable rlghL Lo Lhe parLlcular
concesslon area and Lhe foresL producLs Lhereln 1hey may be valldly amended modlfled replaced
or resclnded by Lhe Chlef LxecuLlve when naLlonal lnLeresLs so requlre 1hus Lhey are noL deemed
conLracLs wlLhln Lhe purvlew of Lhe due process of law clause