NPA threatens to attack power plants in South

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Communist rebels warned to paralyze and halt the operation of coal-fired power plants in Mindanao after insurgents raided the facility in the southern Philippine province of Misamis Oriental.

Norsen Manggubat, a spokesman for the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in the troubled region, lauded insurgents for the daring raid on Mindanao Energy Systems, Inc. (Minergy) in the village of Quezon in Balingasag town where New People’s Army members disarmed security guards and seized 5 high-powered weapons and other military hardware.

“The Communist Party of the Philippines - North Central Mindanao Region lauds the operatives of New People’s Army - Misamis Oriental for its roaring disarmament operation against the security guards of Mindanao Energy Systems, Inc. (Minergy),” Manggubat said. “The NPA’S military action is highly justifiable because of the grave legal injury and scathe the Minergy induces to the residents and to the people.”

He said Minergy’s operation, which started in 2017 “under Duterte’s incitation of installing coal-fired power plants in the pretext of expanding energy resources in the country” allegedly dislocated dwellers from their homes and livelihood.

As soon as Minergy started its operation, health risks among the residents were evident, according to Manggubat, who claimed that vegetation in the area were covered in coal ashes from an ash lagoon and also threatened the ecological balance in the town and contaminate the sea and potable water sources with toxic substances. He also blamed the power plant for massive fish kill in the town the past years.

He said Minergy is also present in Misamis Oriental’s Claveria and Jasaan towns and despite the existence of these companies the people are still deprived of fair energy service from the government.

“The people detested Minergy and other anti-people and anti-environment multinational companies. These aggravated the residents’ severe condition,” Manggubat said.

“This will serve as a warning to Minergy and other companies who are only serving for the interest of profit. The revolutionary movement is ever determined to paralyze and halt Minergy’s operation,” he added.

Manggubat was referring to the operations of coal-fired power plants STEAG State Power Inc., and FDC Misamis Power Corporation in the town of Villanueva, also in Misamis Oriental.

The NPA, armed wing of the CPP, has been fighting for the establishment of a Maoist state in the country. The movement began in 1930 and is the world’s longest communist insurgency. (Mindanao Examiner)