MANILA, Philippines — With the fishermen-complainants backing out of the case, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) yesterday withdrew its petition from the Supreme Court (SC) seeking a writ of kalikasan to require the Duterte administration to protect the West Philippine Sea. Barely minutes before the SC closed office for the day, the IBP submitted a motion of manifestation to withdraw the petition. “The IBP Board of Governors adopted a resolution torequest this Honorable Court to allow IBP to withdraw the instant petition and to withdraw as counsel for the petitioners who cannot be contacted,” the IBP said in its motion. The IBP lawyers also filed a motion to withdraw on behalf of their 20 other fishermen clients. On July 12, the IBP filed a motion for extension and asked the high court to give them more time to confer with their clients.

Source: Philippine Star July 19, 2019 16:00 UTC