Thursday, July 24, 2008 Court hears TRO plea vs Energy Dev't Corp. project By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
A LOCAL court is set to hear on Thursday the petition for the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the entry of Energy Development Corporation (EDC).
A showdown of colors by supporters and oppositors of the EDC project in Mt. Kanlaon is also set to take place at the Provincial Capitol grounds on Thursday.
Supporters of Save Mt. Kanlaon Coalition will be wearing yellow and will be hold a caravan in the entire city to drum up their opposition against EDC's geothermal exploration at the buffer zone.
Community-beneficiaries and employees of EDC in Negros on the other hand, will also be holding a caravan, then a prayer-rally in front of Capitol to show support to EDC, and to pray for the non-issuance of TRO. Pro-EDC rallyists will wear green t-shirts.
Since they're not allowed to hold the rally or picket in front of the Bacolod Hall of Justice, both the yellow and green 'teams' will troop to the Capitol to dramatize their respective stance on the highly contentious geothermal exploration.
Elmor Juanitas, village chief of Minoyan, Murcia, said the prayer rally aims to say thank you to the Provincial Government of Negros, especially to Gov. Isidro Zayco and members of the Provincial Board, for their trust and confidence in approving the project at the buffer zone.
The rally will also be a show of support to EDC in its court battle against Negros' environmentalists.
This as Juanitas reiterated that EDC has already been a major part of their day-to-day living in Minoyan. Aside from giving scholarships to their children, both in the elementary and high school, EDC has also been assisting them in their livelihood among other community partnerships that Juanitas claimed, "truly improved" their quality of living. "That's why at all cost, we will support EDC and all its endeavor here in Negros."
Meanwhile, lawyer Andrea Lizares-Si, counsel for the petitioners against EDC's geothermal exploration project, said she's ready to defend their position in court today.
Si is confident the court will side with them as she stressed various points, especially on the questionable validity of EDC's environmental compliance certificate (ECC) and the directional drilling to be conducted that, she claimed, will reach up to the Harden sang Balo area, a lagoon that is part of the MKNP and not of the buffer zone anymore.
