SC permanently halts cutting of trees in Baguio City’s Luneta Hill

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) permanently stopped the cutting and balling of trees at Luneta Hill in this city to make way for the expansion of a mall.

At a press conference, High Court’s Public Information Chief and Spokesperson Brian Keith Hosaka said the restraining order issued in 2015 is now made permanent.

“The Supreme Court, in its en banc session today made permanent the temporary restraining order issued on 24, March 2015 prohibiting the cutting and balling of trees on Luneta Hill in Baguio City,” Hosaka announced.

But Hosaka said the Court’s decision “is without prejudice to the filing of another application for an environmental compliance certificate in accordance with existing laws and regulations.”

The case stemmed from the petition filed by Cordillera Global Network (CGN) and several Baguio residents to bar the mall operator from cutting and balling 182 pine and alnus trees.

On January 2015, 60 of the 182 trees were cut after a favorable ruling from the Court of Appeals (CA) was obtained.

The appellate court dismissed CGN’s petition questioning the ruling of the Baguio City Regional Trial Court allowing the cutting of the trees.

The CA ruling prompted CGN to take its case to the high court. /gsg

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