Manila, July 1 -- The Supreme Court (SC) has issued a Writ of Kalikasan against the China-funded Samal Island - Davao City Connector Bridge Project, and has referred the case for a temporary environmental protection order (TEPO) to the Court of Appeals (CA).

The respondents include the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Samal Island Protected Landscape and Seascape Protected Area Management Board, and the China Road and Bridge Corp.

In a press briefing during the first day of the resumption of the SC session on Tuesday, spokesperson Camille Ting said the tribunal "required respondents to file a verified return on the petition within a non-extendable period of 1...