THE Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned its December 2015 decision stopping the government from conducting field trials, propagating and importing genetically modified organisms due to the supposed risks it poses to human health and the environment.
In its en banc session, the high court magistrates unanimously granted the nine motions for reconsideration filed by various groups asking it to set aside its ruling on the ground of mootness.
SC spokesperson Theodore Te said tribunal sided with the petitioners that the case should have been dismissed for mootness in view of the completion and termination of the Bt talong field trials and the expiration of the biosafety permits.
The motions for reconsideration was filed by Bt talong proponents International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications Inc., Environmental Management Bureau, Crop Life Philippines Inc., University of the Philippines Los Baños Foundation Inc., University of the Philippines and several other intervenors.
The tribunal also admitted that it should not have acted on the constitutional question on the issue of whether Department of Agriculture Administrative Order No. 08-2002 was unconstitutional as the matter was only collaterally raised in the petition.
AO No. 08-2002 provides rules and regulations for the importation and release into the environment of plants and plant products derived from the use of modern biotechnology.
“These cases, which stemmed from respondents’ petition for writ of kalikasan, were mooted by the expiration of the Biosafety Permits issued by the Bureau of Plant Industry and the termination of Bt talong filed trials subject of the permits. These effectively negated the need for the reliefs sought by respondents as there was no longer any field test to stop,” Te said, in a media briefing.
The high court added that at the time the Court of Appeals rendered its decision on May 17, 2013, issuing a writ of kalikasan against field trials and propagation of Bt talong, “the relief sought and which were granted by the CA were no longer capable of execution.
In December 2015, the SC affirmed the decision issued by CA which granted the petition filed by Greenpeace, Magsasaka at Siyentipiko sa Pagpapaunlad ng Agrikultura (Masipag) and several other individuals for the issuance of a writ of kalikasan against the field-testing of BT talong.
Besides permanently enjoining the field-testing of Bt talong, the Court also declared null and void DA Order No. 08-2002.
The tribunal also held that the existing regulations issued by the DA and the DOST were insufficient to guarantee the safety of the environment and the health of the people.