Lim gives oil firms 5 years to leave

MANILA, Philippines – Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim gave an ultimatum yesterday for the country’s largest oil firms – Chevron Phils, Inc. (formerly Caltex Philippines Inc), Petron Corp. and Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. – to move out of the Pandacan oil depot in Manila in less than five years.

“They (oil companies) said five years. I did not agree. This is too long. It should be less than five years.  What happened at the Pandacan oil depot was, before it was an industrial zone. Then it became a commercial zone. If it is a commercial zone, they (oil companies) have to vacate,” Lim said during a recent interview at the Mayor’s Office at the Manila City Hall.

Lim said the agreement when the oil firms sought an audience with Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales was that they cannot stay at the Pandacan oil depot indefinitely and must undertake means to gradually relocate their business.

“That was what His Eminence said. The different chambers of commerce and the oil firms agreed. They are working on a plan to relocate. The relocation would be done gradually,” Lim said.

Lim said the Supreme Court (SC) said the Manila mayor is duty-bound to enforce Ordinance 8027, unless repealed by another ordinance.

Lim, however, recently signed Ordinance 8187, which repealed Ordinance 8027. Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza questioned the legality of Ordinance 8187 before the SC.

The SC ordered yesterday Lim and majority members of the city council to answer within 10 days allegations in the consolidated petitions of Atienza, the Social Justice Society (SJS), and minority members of the city council against the new ordinance, which would allow the depot to stay.

SC spokesman Jose Midas Marquez said the High Court justices also agreed not to issue a temporary restraining order stopping the implementation of Ordinance 8187 because they do not see an urgent need for the TRO.

Lim said there must be an open and public declaration that the oil companies are going to relocate “so that they could not backtrack anymore.”

SJS lawyer Vladimir Alarique Cabigaosaid Lim cannot sign a public declaration with the oil companies regarding their shortened stay in Pandacan, noting that the public declaration could neither amend nor supersede Ordinance 8187.

“As a lawyer, Lim should know this basic legal principle. What he should do is certify an administration measure and forward the same to the city council for the latter to pass it, amending Ordinance 8187. This is the only legal way by which to bind the oil companies to leave Manila,” said Cabigao.

Cabigao warned that if Lim proceeds with his public declaration, he may be sued before the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for “ignorance of the law.”