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DOTR vs. Philippine Petroleum Sea Transport Association

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (DOTR), MARITIME INDUSTRY AUTHORITY (MARINA), AND PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD (PCG), PETITIONERS, VS. PHILIPPINE PETROLEUM SEA TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION, HERMA SHIPPING TRANSPORT CORPORATION, ISLAS TANKERS SEATRANSPORT CORPORATION, MIS MARITIME CORPORATION, PETROLIFT, INC., GOLDEN ALBATROSS SHIPPING CORPORATION, VIA MARINE CORPORATION, AND CARGOMARINE CORPORATION, RESPONDENTS.

G.R. No. 230107 | 2018-07-24

DECISION
 
VELASCO JR., J.:
 
The Case

This case concerns the constitutionality of establishing the "Oil Pollution Management Fund," under Section 22(a) of Republic Act No. (RA) 9483 and Section 1, Rule of its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), by imposing "ten centavos (10c) per liter for every delivery or transshipment of oil made by tanker barges and tanker haulers."
 
Antecedents

The value of the Philippine marine ecosystem cannot be overemphasized. The country is part of an important marine biosphere known as the "coral triangle" that includes Malaysia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Marine...