Case Digest (G.R. No. 101083) Core Legal Reasoning Model
Core Legal Reasoning Model
Facts:
On July 30, 1993, the Supreme Court En Banc decided Oposa et al. v. Factoran, G.R. No. 101083, arising from Civil Case No. 90-777 filed on March 2, 1990 before the Regional Trial Court, Makati, Branch 66. The petitioners comprised numerous minors—including Juan Antonio, Anna Rosario and Jose Alfonso Oposa, Roberta Nicole Sadiua, Carlo, Amanda Salud and Patrisha Flores, Gianina Dita R. Fortun, George II and Ma. Concepcion Misa, Benjamin Alan V. Pesigan, Jovie Marie Alfaro, Maria Concepcion T. Castro, Johanna Desamparado, Carlo Joaquin T. Narvasa, Ma. Margarita, Jesus Ignacio, Ma. Angela and Marie Gabrielle Saenz, Kristine, Mary Ellen, May, Golda Marthe and David Ian King, David, Francisco and Therese Victoria Endriga, Jose Ma. and Regina Ma. Abaya, Marilin, Mario Jr. and Mariette Cardama, Clarissa, Ann Marie, Nagel and Imee Lyn Oposa, Philip Joseph, Stephen John and Isaiah James Quipit, and Bughaw Cielo, Crisanto, Anna, Daniel and Francisco Bibal—each represented by their respect... Case Digest (G.R. No. 101083) Expanded Legal Reasoning Model
Expanded Legal Reasoning Model
Facts:
- Parties and Underlying Case
- Petitioners
- Juan Antonio, Anna Rosario, Jose Alfonso Oposa and other minors, represented by their parents
- Philippine Ecological Network, Inc. (PENI)
- Respondents
- Fulgencio S. Factoran, Jr., Secretary of DENR (substituted by Angel C. Alcala)
- Eriberto U. Rosario, Presiding Judge, RTC Makati, Branch 66
- Complaint and Allegations
- Nature of Suit
- Taxpayers’ class suit to cancel all timber license agreements (TLAs)
- Prayer for injunction against approving new TLAs
- Environmental Background
- Historical forest cover decline from 53% to 2.8% of land area
- Consequent ecological harms: water shortages, erosion, loss of biodiversity, climate impacts
- Procedural History
- Civil Case No. 90-777 filed on March 1990 in RTC Makati
- June 22, 1990 – DENR Secretary moves to dismiss for no cause of action and political question
- July 18, 1991 – RTC grants dismissal, invoking lack of cause of action, political question, and non-impairment of contracts
- May 14, 1992 – Petition for certiorari (Rule 65) filed with the Supreme Court
Issues:
- Locus Standi and Justiciability
- Whether minors and PENI have standing to sue for inter-generational environmental rights
- Whether the action raises a justiciable question or is a political question
- Cause of Action
- Whether plaintiffs alleged a specific legal right and correlative duty violated
- Sufficiency of allegations under Rule 2, Sec. 1
- Contract Impairment and Nature of TLAs
- Whether cancelling TLAs violates the constitutional non-impairment clause
- Characterization of TLAs as contracts or mere privileges
Ruling:
- (Subscriber-Only)
Ratio:
- (Subscriber-Only)
Doctrine:
- (Subscriber-Only)