Laguna Lake Development Authority v CA (Environmental Law)

Laguna Lake Development Authority v CA  

GR No. 110120 

March 16, 1994 

FACTS:

The  LLDA Legal and Technical personnel found that the  City Government of  Caloocan was  maintaining an open  dumpsite at the  Camarin  area  without  first  securing  an  Environmental  Compliance  Certificate  (ECC)  from  the  Environmental Management  Bureau  (EMB)  of  the  Department  of  Environment  and  Natural  Resources,  as  required  under Presidential  Decree  N o.  1586, and clearance from LLDA as required under Republic Act N o.  4850 and issued a CEASE and DESIST ORDER (CDO) for the City Government of Caloocan to stop the use of the dumpsite. 

ISSUES:

1. Does  the LLDA  and  its  amendatory  laws,  have  the  authority  to  entertain  the complaint  against  the  dumping  of garbage  in  the  open  dumpsite  in  Barangay  Camarin  authorized  by  the  City  Government  of  Caloocan?  

2. Does the LLDA have the power and authority  to issue a "cease and desist" order? 

APPLICABLE LAWS:

• Executive Order N o. 927 series of 1983 which provides, thus:  Sec. 4. Additional Powers and Functions. The authority shall have the following powers and functions:  (d)  Make,  alter  or  modify  orders  requiring  the  discontinuance  of  pollution  specifying  the  conditions and the time within which such discontinuance must be accomplished 

• As a  general rule,  the adjudication  of pollution  cases generally pertains  to the  Pollution Adjudication  Board (PAB), except  in  cases  w here  the  special  law   provides  for  another  forum 

RULING:

1. YES, LLDA has authority. It  must  be  recognized  in  this  regard  that  the LLDA,  as  a  specialized  administrative  agency,  is  specifically  mandated  under  Republic  Act  No.  4850  and  its amendatory law s  to carry out and  make effective the declared  national policy of  promoting and  accelerating the development  and  balanced  growth  of  the  Laguna  Lake  area  and  the  surrounding  provinces  of  Rizal  and  Laguna and the  cities of San Pablo,  Manila, Pasay, Quezon  and Caloocan with  due regard  and  adequate provisions  for environmental  management and  control, preservation  of  the quality  of human  life  and ecological  systems, and  the prevention of undue ecological disturbances, deterioration and pollution. Under such a  broad grant and power and authority, the LLDA, by virtue of its special charter, obviously has the responsibility to protect the inhabitants of the Laguna  Lake  region  from  the  deleterious  effects  of  pollutants  emanating  from  the  discharge  of  wastes  from  the surrounding  areas.  

2. YES, pursuant to EO 927 Section 4. While it is  a fundamental rule that an  administrative agency has only  such powers as are expressly  granted to it by law , it is  likewise a settled rule that an administrative  agency has also such powers as  are necessarily implied in the  exercise  of  its  ex press  powers. In  the  exercise,  therefore,  of  its  express  powers  under  its  charter  as  a regulatory  and  quasi-judicial  body  with  respect  to  pollution  cases  in  the  Laguna  Lake  region,  the  authority  of  the LLDA  to  issue  a "cease  and  desist  order"  is,  perforce, implied. NOTE: HOWEVER,  writs  of  mandamus  and  injunction are beyond the power of the LLDA to issue.