DENIED by a permit to hold its rally against the proposed 4.4-megawatt diesel-fed power plant in Camiguin, the Citizens for Green and Peaceful Camiguin did not push through with its plan to stage a protest on the opening of the island’s Lanzones festival on Sunday.
The diesel-fed power plant will be constructed in Sitio Maubog, Barangay Balbagon in Mambajao town in Camiguin.
Maria Teresa Rami, president of the Citizens for Green and Peaceful Camiguin (CGPC), said they would have held a peaceful assembly during the festival’s opening ceremony had the municipal government gave them the permit.
It turned out the group’s request was denied by a mere technicality – its failure to submit the request five days before holding the planned protest. But Rami suspected there was an underlying reason for not allowing them to hold a protest march.
CGPC’s request letter to Mambajao Mayor Maria Luisa Romualdo was dated October 16, 2014, and got a reply on the same day.
In the reply, Vice-mayor Roldan Chan, by authority of Romualdo, did not categorically deny their request but an attachment, municipal ordinance 2012-67, or “An Ordinance designating the Amphitheatre as Freedom Park of the Municipality of Mambajao,” had made it clear the CGPC was not allowed to hold the rally for not submitting the request five days before the activity.
“This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 16, 2014 requesting for the Mayor’s permit to hold a peaceful march in Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin comes (sic) October 19, 2014. However, please see attached our Municipal Ordinance for your reference and information,” Roldan, in his reply, said.
Section 5, paragraph a of the ordinance states that: "A written permit from the Mayor shall be required for any person or persons to organize and hold a public assembly such as rally, demonstrations, march, parade, procession in a public place or any street pursuant to BP 880. However, no permit shall be required if the public assembly shall be done or made in the freedom park provided however, an application in written form shall have been filed in the office of the Municipal Mayor and a copy being furnished at the Police Station at least five days before the conduct of said activity for purposes of proper coordination...”
Under section 6, paragraph a of the same ordinance, it added that: “The applications shall be in writing and shall include the names of the leaders or organizers, the purpose of such public assembly, the place, the date, time and duration thereof, the probably number of persons participating and the public address systems to be used…”
Intimidation
But Rami said they could not comply with the conditions set by the ordinance, especially on the listing of the CGPC’s leaders as some of them fear they will be singled out by the local government.
“Lisod ‘na i-comply kay i-intimidate ‘mi nila ana. Ila gyud ‘nang gihimo para dili ‘mi maka-rally. Walay demokrasya dinhi sa Camiguin,” Rami told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro by phone Sunday.
She said she was advised that CGPC needs no permit just as long as they invoke their right to freedom of expression, but Rami said the group’s members would not join the march if there is no permit issued by the municipal government.
When she read the conditions stipulated in the ordinance, Rami said she had second thoughts, as she doesn’t want the group and its members to be compromised.
Rami said had the protest march pushed through, around 80 to 100 CGPC members and supporters would have joined in.
The group’s plan was to start their march from the town’s Amphitheatre and walk around Mambajao carrying streamers and handing out flyers to residents and guests on Sunday morning. The lanzones festival officially opened in the afternoon.
The streamers and flyers would contain the group’s position on the planned construction of the power plant.
Adverse impact of plant
She said once it will operate the power plant will have an adverse impact on the festival and the production of lanzones since it is located near a huge lanzones plantation in Mambajao.
The group feared that the smoke the power plant will emit would affect the yield of the island-province’s most favorite fruit.
CGPC has strongly opposed the construction of the power citing the absence of proper consultation on the residents living near the site, and the potential pollutants that it will give out will have a negative effect on their health and wellbeing.
Last week a dialogue was held at the Environment Management Bureau (EMB) regional office in Barangay Puntod, presided by EMB-10 legal officer Abbas Lao and attended by representatives from CGPC and the project proponent, King Energy Generation Inc. (KEGI), environmental group Sulog chair Orlando Ravanera, and power plant expert Dr. Rabin Malazarte.
During the meeting, Ravanera personally requested EMB-10 regional director Sabdullah Abubakar to order KEGI to stop the ongoing earthworks at the plant site.