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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider SC stops quarrying, excavation, earth extraction within Angat River-Bustos Dam Forest Reserve

SC stops quarrying, excavation, earth extraction within Angat River-Bustos Dam Forest Reserve

Published Apr 9, 2026 11:23 am  |  Updated Apr 9, 2026 03:19 pm
The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered an immediate stop to quarrying activities within the Angat River-Bustos Dam Forest Reserve in Banaban, Angat, Bulacan.
In a temporary environment protection order (TEPO) issued under the Writ of Kalikasan, the SC also ordered an immediate stop to excavation, earth extraction, or similar activities within the watershed area.
Anthony Gerard A. Halili, Halrey Construction, Inc. or Harley Construction Company and their personnel were ordered to stop from “committing acts that may cause additional damage to the environment.”
The Writ of Kalikasan is the Filipinos’ extraordinary legal remedy to protect their constitutional right to a healthy environment.
The SC’s Office of the Spokesperson said the High Court, in a ruling written by Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier -- granted the petition filed by Narciso A. De Leon.
Copies of the TEPO and De Leon’s petition, docketed as GR No. E-05293, were not available as of posting time.
The Angat River-Bustos Dam Forest Reserve was one of those declared protected forest lands under Proclamation No. 573 issued by the late former president Ferdinand E. Marcos in 1969.
In issuing the writ, the SC applied the precautionary principle based on technical findings which showed that the construction firm’s activities “have significantly increased surface runoff, erosion, and sedimentation within the watershed system.”
The SC also said “the reports indicated that these activities have destroyed cultivated crops, vegetation, and fruit-bearing trees that serve as wildlife habitats.”
At the same time, the SC said that “a change in the natural landscape of just a portion of a protected forest reserve threatens the stability of the Angat River-Bustos Dam watershed, posing serious risks to the life, health, and property of inhabitants in several provinces.”

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Writ of Kalikasan Angat-Bustos Dam sc
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