The City Environment and Natural Resources Officer, Atty. Carlo Gomez, lauded the strengthened collaboration of various government agencies through the Puerto Princesa City-Green Justice Zone (PPC-GJZ) as part of the premiere showcase of national-local government alliance for efficient and effective delivery of justice in environmental protection and natural resource management.
Gomez said that this city have now a Green Justice Hall as a result of the declaration of Puerto Princesa as Green Justice Zone five months ago, and PPC-GJZ is headed by the head convenor, Hon. Jocelyn Sundian-Dilig, Executive Judge of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Palawan.
“The PPC-GJZ role is very significant to us, government agencies who craft policies in the protection of our environment. With the establishment of PPC-GJZ the only green/environmental Justice Zone in the country so far, or maybe globally, it is not only ensured that the constitutional rights of the accused are protected, it is also guaranteed that justice is served to our environment by way of imprisonment to the offenders, environmental restoration and reparations of the ecosystem services destroyed, etc. The strategy is to see that justice is served to both realms,” Atty. Gomez explained.
The setting up of PPC-GJZ is “the justice sector’s concrete contribution towards affording our people their constitutional right to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.” A Justice Zone is where judges, prosecutors, law enforcers, and representatives of local government units (LGUs) meet on common interests, coordination, and information sharing.
During the celebration of Earth Day with the theme Planet vs. Plastic on April 22, 2024, PPC-GJZ mobilized its members to participate the event.
Its members includes the PPCGJZ Committee, Atty. Gomez who is the City ENR Officer of Puerto Princesa, CENR Officer Alexander Mancio and PENR Officer Felizardo Cayatoc of the DENR, and Atty. Teodoro Jose Matta, executive director of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD).
During the official launching of the program held in Puerto Princesa five months ago, top officials of the Supreme Court, headed by Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga led the official declaration of Puerto Princesa as the country’s green justice zone.
Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo described the country’s Green Justice Zone in Puerto Princesa as a comprehensive solution for justice sector to address the most urgent problem which is the environment and climate change.
“We are fully aware of the existential threat of climate change and that the duty to ensure a sustainable ecology is fundamental to all of our reforms,” Chief Justice Gesmundo said during the launching and official declaration, highlighting that the people’s survival and that of the succeeding generations are at stake.
The Green Justice Zone is part of the Justice Zone project, supported by European Union’s Justice Sector Reform Program, Governance in Justice II (GOJUSTII). It was established to enhance coordination and communication among JSCC’s principal agencies by serving as a venue and a mechanism for communication, principled cooperation, and studied coordination with great deference to institutional independence.
Puerto Princesa City Mayor Lucilo Bayron considers PPC-GJZ as a solution in expediting the disposition of environment cases, unlike cases in the past which unresolved cases clogged in courts, while confiscated items became useless and go to waste. He said that there are instances in the past when confiscated seacrafts locally known as lancha and sliced lumbers already disintegrate and decompose while these cases was not resolved in courts.
PPC-GJZ provides a glimmer of hope to all involved actors to improve and deliver more comprehensive solution to the delivery of environmental justice focused on environmental protection and sustainable development.