MEDIA ADVISORY
7 March 2007
Friends of the Earth International
SHUT DOWN SHELL OIL DEPOT, PHILIPPINES
SUPREME COURT ORDERS
Manila (Philippines) / Brussels (Belgium)
/ Amsterdam (The Netherlands), March 7th 2007
-– Friends of the Earth International
welcomed today’s ruling of the Philippines
Supreme Court, which ordered the Manila City
government to shut down the Pandacan oil
depot.
The Supreme Court stated that it is the
duty of the City Mayor to “enforce all laws
and ordinances”. The Mayor therefore has to
implement Ordinance 8027 of November 28 2001
about the closure of the depot.
Friends of the Earth International,
together with local partners Fenceline
Community for Human Safety and Environmental
Protection and United Front to Oust Oil
Depots, have been working for several years
to force Pandacan oil depot operators,
including Shell, to implement proper
environmental standards.
“Today’s ruling of the Supreme Court makes
it clear that Shell will have to start the
process of shutting down the depot
immediately. Already in 2001 the City Council
of Manila decided that the oil depot needed
to be closed. The City Mayor and Shell have
not respected that decision,” said Paul de
Clerck, corporate campaigner at Friends of
the Earth International.
“This is a landmark case in the
Philippines as far as environmental justice
is concerned. The Pandacan oil depot services
80% of the petrol requirements of the
Philippines. In the decision, the Supreme
Court has upheld the general welfare of the
people over the private and pecuniary
interest of the oil companies. The Court has
placed paramount importance on the health and
safety of the people. This is a welcome
precedent to Philippine environmental
justice” said Vladimir Cabigao, lawyer for
the Fenceline Community for Human Safety and
Environmental Protection and one of the
proponents of the case filed to the Supreme
Court.
The Pandacan oil depot is owned by
Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, Caltex
(Philippines) Inc. and Petron Corporation. It
is located in a densely populated
neighborhood of Manila, posing enormous
health and safety concerns to local
inhabitants and the environment. Odors and
fumes emanating from the oil depot are
continual source of complaints from local
residents who are exposed to carcinogens and
harmful toxins.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
In June 2006 a complaint was filed in the
Netherlands that Shell Pilipinas violated the
OECD Guidelines for Multinational
Corporations. That case is still pending.
Today's decision of the Supreme Court can
be found at:
http://www.supremecourt.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2007/march2007/156052.htm
Detailed information on the Pandacan Oil
Depot can be found at page 37-40 of the
report “Use your profit to clean up your
mess”:
http://www.milieudefensie.nl/globalisering/publicaties/rapporten/shellrapport
FOR MORE INFORMATION
In Belgium:
Paul de Clerck, Friends of the Earth
International corporate campaigner:
paul@milieudefensie.nl, +32-494380959 and
+32-2-5426106
In the Philippines:
Vladimir Cabigao, Fenceline Community for
Human Safety and Environmental Protection:
vladalartcab@yahoo.com, +63-9178338107
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