Solon comes to Mt. Apo park’s rescue

Agham party-list Representative Angelo Palmones. congress.gov.ph

MANILA, Philippines–A party-list representative has asked the Supreme Court to issue a writ of kalikasan to stop the degradation of Mount Apo National Park, which he said had been plagued by deforestration and pollution, endangering its protected area status.

Agham party-list Representative Angelo Palmones also asked the high court to issue a writ of continuing mandamus and a temporary environmental protection order to ensure the preservation and protection of the park, considered a critical watershed for major river systems in south central Mindanao and identified as one of the 128 key biodiversity areas in the country.

In an 18-page petition, Palmones provided the court with “photographic evidence” of the environmental degradation of the more than 55,000-hectare park, which covers four municipalities and three cities in Davao del Sur and Cotabato provinces. Christine O. Avendaño