CEBU CITY, Philippines – An onsite hearing off the Sogod-Borbon Coast in northern Cebu fueled hopes of a fishermen's group of a court decision on their complaint to stop reclamation activities in a foreshore area there.Judge Generosa Labra, handling the environment court in Cebu City, inspected on Monday the foreshore area, which is the subject of a complaint filed last month by the Magay Fishermen’s Association, the Sogod Development Corp. (SDC) and concerned residents of Borbon and Sogod against M. Lhuiller Land Development and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas (DENR-7). “This is still part of court proceedings. The judge saw for herself what is happening in the area,” said lawyer Benjamin Cabrido, who is representing the fishermen's group. Both parties involved in the case were represented on the onsite hearing - Cabrido for the fishermen's group and lawyer Romulo Senining for the M. Lhuiller firm. Labra and the representatives of both parties took a motorboat to inspect the shoreline of the properties involved in the complaint. “We are expecting a decision on our prayer for preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order soon,” he said. The complainants are asking the court to order M. Lhuiller to stop earth-moving and reclamation activities because these are adversely affecting the marine environment in the area. “The effects would be, for example, if the backfill materials are allowed to be dumped in the sea these would cover the corals, sea grass and other marine resources in the area,” Cabrido said. But Senining said the case should not have been filed at all because the development in the area was already stopped. The firm has begun clean up activities last month along the coastline of a public beach and has submitted weekly reports since the complaint was filed to the court. “There is no violation committed. There is even no cease and desist order. The project was issued an ECC (Environmental Compliance Certificate),” Senining said. He also pointed out that the firm was following the condition set by the ECC and that they have not received any notice of violation from the DENR. But Magay Fishermen's Association head Gomersindo Branzuela told Cebu Daily News that they filed the complaint because of problems they encountered in the area caused by the land development project. Branzuela cited in the complaint he filed in behalf of the association, the death of the marine life in the area because of the chemicals from the limestone that were used to fill the coastal area. The resident marine biologist of Alegre Beach Resort, Geraldine Sola, agreed with Branzuela, saying the underwater visibility in the area has gotten worse recently. “When we are underwater, there are times we could not even see our hands in front of our face. We now consider visibility at three meters as good enough,” she said. Sola attributed this to the silt from the land development. “With the siltation, ma-choke ang corals. The silt will settle on the polyps of the corals and this would restrict feeding activities. Eventually, the corals will die,” she said. The resort, which is renting the property from Sogod Development Corporation, is known for its diving sites that feature large fishes such as black snappers, parrot fish and goat fish. /Editorial Assistant Ma. Bernadette A. Parco | 
