ILOILO – The provincial government has formally filed at the Supreme Court a “motion for leave of court to intervene” in relation to a recent high court ruling (First Division) that permits commercial fishing vessels to operate within municipal waters.
The motion was filed on Friday afternoon, February 21, by Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Dennis Ventilacion and Felina Grace Basco, head of the Provincial Agriculture Office’s Fisheries Division, following an order from Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.
The provincial government is formally requesting the court’s permission for it to intervene in the case and support the motion for reconsideration filed by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), which is still pending in the court.
Small fisherfolk in Iloilo who are opposed to the court’s ruling allowing commercial fishing in municipal waters.
Ventilacion expressed confidence that the court would hear the arguments from the provincial government and the 16 coastal towns.
“We cannot delve into the merits of the case as it is still pending. We are observing the sub judice rule, but we are confident that the Supreme Court will hear us, and that the petitions from the 16 coastal towns will be considered as well,” Ventilacion added.
Earlier, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan passed Resolution 2025-062 authorizing Governor Defensor to represent the province in the Supreme Court regarding the petitions against the controversial ruling.
Provincial Administrator Raul Banias emphasized that the ruling poses a “clear social injustice” to artisanal fishermen and undermines the autonomy of local government units (LGUs).
Banias, a former mayor of the coastal municipality of Concepcion, noted that the ruling threatens the livelihoods of small-scale fisherfolk, damages marine biodiversity, and undermines the efforts of LGUs in sustainable fisheries management./PN
