CEBU CITY — It looks like there is no stopping the much-contested 236-hectare Seafront Reclamation Project in Consolacion town, northern Cebu.
A trial court here has dismissed the petition filed by shipyard owners that sought to extend the validity of their business permits until December 31, 2021.
The 18-page decision dismissing the temporary-restraining order (TRO) and writ of a preliminary injunction was penned by Presiding Judge Allan Francisco Garciano of Branch 83 of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Mandaue City.
Copies of the November 12, 2021 decision were furnished to members of the media.
The court pointed out that it “will not interfere with this power save for instances when the respondent mayor, in the exercise of this prerogative, did so in grave abuse of discretion, which is not attendant in this case.”.
“This Court is not unmindful of the fact that a mayor’s power to issue a business permit is an exercise of a delegated police power and is discretionary,” the court added.
The court said it did found any substantial evidence to indict Consolacion Mayor Joannes Alegado for grave abuse of discretion over his police power.
Shipyard companies Phil. Rigid Construction Corp., Fortune Shipworks Inc., Nagasaka Shipyard Inc., PKS Shipping Co. Inc., and Uni-Orient Pearl Ventures Inc. filed the petition after the Consolacion municipal government announced it will develop though a public-private partnership venture foreshore areas particularly in Barangay Tayud.
Some residents in the area have also protested the project. They sent a petition to President Rodrigo Duterte and had also sought guidance from Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma.