Decision 11 G.R. No. 215988 In contrast, Dr. Armando Palijon, a common witness for both parties, testified that removing the trees would not cause irreparable damage to the environment, as the loss would be compensated by SM Investments Corporation's planned green building and the thousands of saplings it planted in Busol Watershed. 37 The trial court also gave weight to the testimony of Engineer Cherry B. Rivera, witness for SM Prime Holdings, Inc. and an environmental engineer who was part of the team that conducted the Environmental Impact Assessment on the Expansion Project. She testified that the mitigation measures in the Environmental Performance Report and Management Plan had accounted for minimizing the project's environmental impact. 38 Likewise, the trial court held that Cordillera Global Network and Adajar, et al. failed to substantiate their claims of irregularities in the treecutting and earth-balling permits 39 and building permits 40 issued to SM Investments Corporation. The trial court also set aside the challenges raised against the amended Environmental Compliance Certificate. It stated that the field of expertise of Professor Cecilia M. Austria (Dr. Austria)-who questioned the reliability of the Environmental Performance Report and Management Plan-is zoology, not environmental science. This makes her incompetent to determine lapses in the Environmental Impact Assessment. On the other hand, the trial court found that SM Investments Corporation and its subsidiaries were able to prove that it had complied with the requirements to issue an environmental compliance certificate. 41 The trial court ruled that there was no reason to prevent SM Investments Corporation and its subsidiaries from pushing through with the Expansion Project. 42 The dispositive of the Regional Trial Court Decision read: WHEREFORE, judgment is hereby rendered DISMISSING the Complaints dated February 23, 2012 and April 13, 2012 and the Amended Urgent Petition to Cite Defendant for Contempt dated April 20, 2012. The Temporary Environmental Protection Order dated April 10, 2012 is hereby LIFTED. 37 3s 39 40 41 42 Id. at 208. Id. Id. at 209-210. Id. at 214-215. Id. at212-213. Id. at 216. I