Aquino urged to intervene over violations by power firm

 By Gina Dizon

Manila Times

Diocesan Bishop Renato Abibico of the  Episcopal Diocese of Northern Luzon  (EDNL) has called on President  Benigno  Aquino to intervene in the ongoing  protests by local residents against power firm Hedcor for  various violations.

Abibico in his letter to Aquino said Hedcor has violated the environmental compliance certificate  (ECC) and the free prior and informed consent- memorandum of agreement (FPIC-MOA) issued by the indigenous peoples representatives of the barangays of Napua ,Namatec and Sabangan in the construction of Hedcor’s 14megawatt hydro plant.

He revealed that a petition was also filed against Hedcor, Sta Clara Construction, Drill Corporation and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), for violations in the conduct of securing the FPIC-MOA and for being “flawed, deceitful and fraudulent”, that could result in the destruction of the environment and cultural spots.

The petitioners claimed that NCIP manipulated the FPIC-MOA using a “non-existent Tinmakudo ancestral domain.”

In an interview with Abibico, he said he wants to know the validity and existence of a certain Tinmakudo tribe in Sabangan.

Records from the regional office of the NCIP showed that Tinmakudo ancestral domain has not yet been endorsed for approval by the central office of the agency.

A petition for  cancellation of the ECC  at  the issuing office of the  Department of  Environment and Natural Resources  was also filed due to reported violations by  Hedcor “because of disrespect of the environmental laws and destruction of the  environment”

Hedcor allegedly  cut more than  the required  378 grown trees, did not earth ball  298 tree saplings, and non-construction of  designated  disposal sites to  contain  earth spoils, thus allowing  debris to flow to the Chico River.

Abibico lamented that “nothing has been done” by the respective government functionary where the petition to cancel the ECC was lodged.