Mahipus welcomes SC decision on anti-spray

A DAVAO City councilor yesterday welcomed the Supreme Court’s “timely ruling” on the constitutionality of the Davao City aerial spray ordinance approved by then city mayor and now President Rodrigo Duterte.

Councilor Diosdado Angelo Mahipus Sr., chair of the committees on energy and environment and national resources, said at the sidelines of the regular session yesterday, that the SC decision on declaring unconstitutional the city ordinance banning aerial spraying of pesticides in agricultural plantations is not intentional.

“As a practicing lawyer and a student of law, I have carefully followed

how the Supreme Court made its decisions. They did not do this just to irate the president, they are not half hazard, they know the long lasting implications of their decision,” Mahipus explained.

Mahipus was among those who voted against the ban of aerial spraying in the city.

“We made manifestations that we cannot totally ban aerial spray, we can only regulate. It is not inherently illegal,” he said.

The councilor added that he will revisit the ordinance that was declared void and convert it into a regulatory ordinance instead.