PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan -- A motion to hastily resolve Palawan’s PHP120-billion Malampaya gas share claim has been filed in the Supreme Court, said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Wednesday.
He said the case involving the province’s gas share claim has been assigned to SC Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, who is on forced indefinite leave.
“It is pending in the Supreme Court. Unfortunately, the case slumbered there because if you can remember, I was a lawyer then for the civil society, and the oral arguments took long in the SC – since 2008. It stayed there and was forgotten, and the last presenter (ponente) about that was Chief Justice Sereno,” he said in a media briefing at the provincial capitol.
But since Sereno is on forced indefinite leave, a new motion was made to proffer the case again for action.
“We’re hoping that now that there’s that motion, it will be raffled again to go to a justice who will act to resolve it fast,” said Roque.
Before becoming the Presidential Spokesperson, Roque had worked as the lawyer of the Kilusan Love Malampaya (KLM), the civil society group that took the Malampaya share issue to the court in 2002.
This was after the national government, headed then by former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, refused to give Palawan’s share from the gross proceeds, claiming the Malampaya gas project was not within the territorial waters of any municipality in the province.
Roque stated the drawn-out issue if the province deserves a 40 percent royalty share should already be resolved because it is the right of every Palaweño to benefit from the Malampaya funds.
In earlier forums with students of two universities in the province, Western Philippines University (WPU) and Palawan State University (PSU), Roque assured that the government will run after those who misused the Malampaya funds, including former governor Joel Reyes.
“Until now, you’ve only received PHP3-billion in Palawan, and it was even embezzled by your former governor who is now in jail,” he told the students.
He encouraged them to make use of the social media to make noise about Palawan’s share from the Malampaya proceeds.
“All of you should make noise and demand to be given the fruits of your natural resources that Palaweños should benefit from,” he said. (with reports from Keith Anthony Fabro/PNA)
Photo by PNA Palawan Bureau
