Appeals court stops Cavite water project

The Court of Appeals has ordered a permanent stop to the controversial water project in Indang town, Cavite province, which intends to draw drinking water from a river system for use in Tagaytay City, a popular tourist destination.

Although drawing of water has not yet begun, Associate Justice Manuel M. Barrios ordered PTK2 H20 Corp. (PTK2), a Makati-based company, and the Tagaytay City Water District (TCWD) to “cease and desist” from getting water from Ikloy, Indang, Lambak and Saluysoy rivers, all in Indang, and from “undertaking construction works within the vicinity.”

The appellate court also canceled PTK’s water permit and environmental compliance certificate (ECC). It made “permanent” the temporary environmental protection order, which its first division issued in June last year.

PTK2 and TCWD entered into a bulk water contract on April 23, 2012, to supply 10,000 cubic meters of potable water to Tagaytay City for 20 years.

The company was issued a water permit by the National Water Resources Board in 2012 and an ECC by the Environmental Management Bureau in 2013, though it lacked several clearance documents from the municipality, records from the provincial government showed.

In April 2013, the provincial government stopped PTK2 from laying its pipes in Barangay (village) Kayquit II in Indang. The company had constructed an intake and filtration system last year.

A copy of the Jan. 30 ruling said the Court of Appeals said the project lacked an environmental impact statement and a tree-cutting permit when it placed its facilities in Indang. It also said the project “will directly destroy three watersheds in Cavite which are protected areas.”

“These unlawful acts or omissions involve the grave and imminent danger of dissipation and drying up of water resources, which constitute environmental damage that prejudice the life, health, or property of inhabitants,” said a copy of the decision furnished the Inquirer on Sunday by the Save Waters of Indang, Cavite Movement Inc. (SWIM)

SWIM secretary Armin Olores, said they were happy about the ruling.