LOCUS STANDI

G.R. No. 180771, April 21, 2015

RESIDENT MARINE MAMMALS OF THE PROTECTED SEASCAPE TANON STRAIT, E.G., TOOTHED
WHALES, DOLPHINS, PORPOISES, AND OTHER CETACEAN SPECIES, JOINED IN AND
REPRESENTED HEREIN BY HUMAN BEINGS GLORIA ESTENZO RAMOS AND ROSE-LIZA EISMAOSORIO, IN THEIR CAPACITY AS LEGAL GUARDIANS OF THE LESSER LIFE-FORMS AND AS
RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS OF GOD'S CREATIONS, Petitioners, v. SECRETARY ANGELO REYES, et.al

Facts: Protesting the adverse ecological impact of JAPEX's oil exploration activities in the Taon Strait,
petitioners Resident Marine Mammals and Stewards aver that a study made after the seismic survey showed
that the fish catch was reduced drastically by 50 to 70 percent. They claim that before the seismic survey,
the average harvest per day would be from 15 to 20 kilos; but after the activity, the fisherfolk could only
catch an average of 1 to 2 kilos a day. They attribute this "reduced fish catch" to the destruction of the
"payao" also known as the "fish aggregating device" or "artificial reef."
Mammals and Stewards also impute the incidences of "fish kill"
the seismic survey.

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Petitioners Resident Marine

observed by some of the local fisherfolk to