Visayas green groups denounce communist-tagging by military, call on city officials to condemn Army statement

In a statement sent to the media, Iloilo environmental and citizens groups opposed to the proposed coal plant strongly denounce the statements made by Captain Lowen Gil Marquez of the Philippine Army for branding them communist front organizations.

"While we do not want to give credence to this shallow red-baiting reminiscent of the Marcos years, we want to register our disgust to this evidently counter-productive effort by the AFP.  This is a scary precedent.  It, not only defeats the very objective of public hearings which is to involve the public, but in the bigger picture it is in contradiction to the very essence of democracy," the groups stressed in the statement.      

 

"Captain Marquez is grossly irresponsible. This is brazen coercion in an attempt to intimidate groups that are concerned with the health and environmental impacts of the coal-fired power plant." Melvin Purzuelo of the Green Forum - Western Visayas said.

"What this AFP officer is saying is that the active participation of the citizens in the discourse for alternative sources of energy and the protection of the environment is equivalent to rebellion or insurgency. This same officer, by the way, has sworn to protect the Philippine constitution and defend the rights of its people," their statement added.      

 

Purzuelo further underscored that the AFP is mandated to be neutral in the whole EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) process so why is the Army endorsing the project "as pro-people" when the DENR has yet to determine the possible health and environmental impacts of the proposed project?

Civil society organizations intends to file a case with the Environmental Courts against the Armed Forces of the Philippines for endorsing the proposed coal-fired power plant in Iloilo City. "The endorsement of an environmentally critical project in a very critical regional urban center is a flagrant violation of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process."

"Marquez is conditioning the people who are against the coal-fired power plant not to participate in the February 15, 2008 Public Hearing. If it is not the official policy of the AFP to endorse projects undergoing the EIA process then we will ask the Philippine Army for a summary investigation of Marquez' irresponsible actions," Purzuelo added.

"If this government is really serious in involving the people on important matters affecting our region then we call on our public officials to strongly condemn this clear case of harassment meant to intimidate the public from exercising their rights to expression and performing their civic duties.  We are challenging these officials to stand up against the AFP's red-scare tactics and for freedom of expression," the groups' statement ended.

 

Professional, Church-based, transport, youth and non-governmental organizations have submitted positions papers against the coal-fired power plant.