Corporate Greed or Judicial Betrayal? Malabon RTC’s Fishing Fiasco Shreds Fisherfolk Rights

By Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — April 28, 2025

The Bait: A Ruling That Hooks 2.3 Million Fisherfolk

In a jaw-dropping decision, Malabon Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 170 gutted core protections of the Philippine Fisheries Code (RA 8550), allowing commercial fishing giants like Mercidar Fishing Corp. to invade the 15-kilometer municipal waters reserved for small-scale fishers. Can a single judge unravel decades of constitutional safeguards for 2.3 million livelihoods? This case, now before the Supreme Court, is a high-stakes battle over social justice, environmental survival, and judicial power run amok.

Reeling in the Legal Chaos: A Deep Dive

Constitutional Gut-Punch: Ignoring the Framers’ Heart

Judge Zaldy Docena’s ruling is a constitutional middle finger to the 1987 Constitution’s pro-poor ethos. Article II, Section 10, Article XII, Section 2, and Article XIII, Sections 1-2 scream social justice, prioritizing subsistence fisherfolk over “moneyed interests,” as petitioners Christian Monsod and Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David argue in their 31-page certiorari petition. RA 8550’s Sections 2(d), 16, 18, and 81 codify this, reserving municipal waters and mandating conservation.

Docena’s claim that the 15-km boundary lacks “scientific basis” dismisses RA 8550’s ecological roots, which protect fish breeding grounds. This isn’t interpretation—it’s judicial fan fiction. Did Docena swap the Constitution for a corporate playbook? The ruling smells like a sellout.

Judicial Power Trip: Trampling Separation of Powers

Docena’s invalidation of RA 8550 isn’t bold—it’s a constitutional coup. By overriding Congress’s mandate to protect fisherfolk, the RTC stomps on the separation of powers. Precedents like Association of Small Landowners v. Secretary of Agrarian Reform (1989) and Manila Prince Hotel v. GSIS (1997) show courts deferring to social justice laws, yet Docena plays lawmaker. This ruling makes ‘judicial activism’ look like a corporate side hustle.

The Supreme Court’s unsigned resolution (Aug. 19, 2024) upholding this mess is baffling. Its “no doctrinal value” tag suggests judicial apathy, leaving fisherfolk adrift.

Government Snooze: BFAR and OSG’s Epic Faceplant

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) didn’t defend RA 8550—they napped through it. Their failure to respond to Mercidar’s complaint, defaulting, and missing appeal deadlines violates RA 6713’s public duty mandate. Petitioners call it “gross negligence,” and they’re not wrong. Was this incompetence or a wink to corporate pals? Either way, it’s a betrayal of 2.3 million fisherfolk.

Collateral Damage: Fisherfolk and Fish Stocks Sunk

The stakes are apocalyptic. Oceana warns that commercial fishing in municipal waters could trigger fish stock collapse, with recovery “almost impossible.” Overfishing already plagues 70% of Philippine fisheries (Department of Agriculture data). For 2.3 million fisherfolk, with a 30% poverty rate (Philippine Statistics Authority), this ruling is a death knell. Monsod’s zinger—”The Constitution plays favorites—with those who have none”—hits hard. LGUs lose RA 8550’s local control, gutting federalism.

The Net of Controversy: Ironies and Outrages

The Supreme Court’s unsigned resolution is a judicial ghosting—why dodge a case this big? Its “no doctrinal value” label screams indifference to marginalized groups. Mercidar’s gall—invoking constitutional rights to crush LGU authority—is a masterclass in corporate chutzpah. A fishing giant preaching fairness? That’s a whale of a tale.

Procedural blunders make it worse. Mercidar’s failure to implead Congress, LGUs, and fishery councils voids the RTC proceedings, per petitioners. BFAR and OSG’s deadline flops handed Docena a free pass, leaving fisherfolk to mop up the mess.

Casting Solutions: How to Save the Catch

Courts: The Supreme Court must sink the RTC ruling, reaffirming RA 8550’s constitutional moorings. A landmark decision is overdue.

Congress: Patch RA 8550 to nail down the 15-km limit’s scientific basis, slamming the door on judicial loopholes.

Advocates: Rally LGUs to flex local ordinances; hound OSG for a real appeal. Monsod and David’s star power can fuel a fisherfolk uprising.

BFAR/OSG: Fire up legal teams to avoid another default. Heads should roll for this negligence.

The Final Cast: Justice or Bust

If the Supreme Court lets this travesty stand, “justice for the poor” is just chum in the water. The Constitution’s promise to fisherfolk deserves a fighting chance, not a corporate harpoon.

Key Takeaways:

Constitutional Betrayal: The RTC defies Articles II, XII, and XIII, sidelining fisherfolk for corporate gain.
Judicial Rogue Wave: Invalidating RA 8550 mocks Congress’s authority, ignoring Small Landowners.
Government Flop: BFAR and OSG’s negligence violates RA 6713, enabling the ruling.
Doomsday Stakes: Fish stocks and 2.3M livelihoods face collapse, per Oceana.
Battle Plan: Reverse the RTC, fortify RA 8550, and unleash LGU power.