"SC voids ordinance vs aerial spraying", 22 Aug 2016

The Supreme Court has ruled as unconstitutional a Davao City ordinance banning aerial spraying as an agricultural practice.

In a unanimous en banc decision…the high court denied the city’s petition challenging the Court of Appeals’ ruling against the ordinance, which was approved by President Duterte when he was Davao mayor in 2007.

The high court, through Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin, found Ordinance No. 309-7 (An ordinance banning aerial spraying as an agricultural practice in all agricultural activities by all agricultural entities in Davao City) to have violated the Constitution’s equal protection clause… 

The high court said the ordinance also violated due process rights of banana growers…

Lastly, the SC said the Davao City government had no authority to regulate and control the use of pesticides and agricultural chemicals, because this is lodged with the Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority (FPA)…