Advocates ask SC to void DENR's FOI manual

Pro-environment advocates, including the Diocese of Marbel and the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center, have urged the Supreme Court to declare the Department of Environment and Natural Resources' (DENR) Freedom of Information (FOI) Manual unconstitutional.

The petitioners argue that the manual unlawfully restricts public access to crucial environmental information, citing the inclusion of 27 exceptions.

They specifically challenged exceptions related to Environmental Compliance Certificate applications and documents submitted by mining clients, asserting that this prevents access to essential data for informed decision-making.

The Tampakan Copper-Gold Project was mentioned as an instance where access to information has been denied.

The petitioners are also requesting a temporary restraining order (TRO) to halt the manual's implementation and an order for the respondents to grant public access to environmental impact statements and related information.