Scientists and environmental groups on Monday filed a petition for a writ of kalikasan at the Supreme Court to stop the construction of the bridge that will connect Davao City and Samal Island due to the alleged “actual, serious, and irreversible damage” it has done to the coral reefs in the area.

Construction of the P23.52-billion Samal Island-Davao City Connector (SIDC) project, a 4.76-kilometer bridge financed by China, is ongoing and on track to be completed by September 2028, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

“This case reveals both a slow and an immediate death of the coral reefs in the Davao gulf and of the ecosystems, including local communities, that collectively depend on these reefs for their continued existence,” the 200-page petition read in part.