MANILA, Philippines -- The Supreme Court has stopped the implementation of a portion of the C-5 Road extension project that would encroach on a piece of land in Quezon City owned by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).

The high tribunal’s First Division issued a status quo order on Wednesday after a barangay official filed for an injunction, saying the project might affect the water supply of eight million residents in Metro Manila.

The court, meanwhile, set the hearing for the case on July 6.

Beda Torrecampo chairman of the village of Old Balara, said in his petition that there were water aqueducts underneath the MWSS’ property and it would be “highly dangerous” to build roads in the area.

He stressed that the waterways might sustain serious damage, thus affecting the water supply of residents in the metropolis.

“You [respondents] and all other persons acting under your authority, place or stead, effective immediately and continuing until further orders from the court, are hereby enjoined to maintain the status quo and to refrain … from implementing the Tandang Sora portion of C-5 Road Extension Project,” the high court said

The respondents in the taxpayer’s suit filed by Torrecampo include Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. and MWSS Administrator Diosdado Jose Allado.

Torrecampo said the road project that was supposed to connect the South Luzon Expressway to the North Luzon Expressway could go through land owned by the University of the Philippines property instead of Old Balara.

“[What] is not visible, and definitely of primordial consideration are the aqueducts of the MWSS underneath these properties installed way back in the 1930s which up to now provide clean and potable water supply to eight million residents of Metro Manila, including the petitioner and his barangay constituents,” he added.

“Hence, if not prevented, we will end up with the specter of a road project constructed directly over these vital aqueducts -- a very dangerous preposition,” he said.

Ebdane, meanwhile, vowed to push through with the implementation of the road project, saying this would save the government some P600 million.

Ebdane was in the area Thursday and held a dialogue with several residents in the area who were opposed to the project.

“Why fight this project when you are not going to be affected by it? The only ones affected are the rich who play at [Capitol Hills Golf and Country Club Inc.],” he told them.

He added that the area of the golf course that would be swallowed up by the road extension project belongs to the MWSS.

Ebdane explained that the proposal to use part of UP’s property for the project would cost the government an additional P600 million because it would involve the destruction and rebuilding of two buildings on the university campus, the relocation of 650 squatter families, on top of the payment of road right of way rights.

On claims that the project would damage aqueducts and disrupt the water supply in Metro Manila, Ebdane said the MWSS’ pipes are buried 60 meters underneath the ground, and unless a building was to be built over these, the waterways would not be affected.