German activist beaten up in Zambales anti-coal protest
The Philippine Star
A German volunteer for environmental watchdog Greenpeace was beaten up yesterday by armed guards at a coal-fired power plant in Masinloc, Zambales after the activists forced their way into the compound to stage a protest related to climate change.
A New Zealander and some Filipinos were also injured when they were hit by stones hurled by the guards, the group said.
German Jens Loewe, 36, was beaten and hit by a crowbar in the face and head while he was on the ground, Greenpeace said. Also badly beaten was Filipino activist Tomas Leonor, 24.
The group claimed private security guards of the 600-megawatt Masinloc plant also fired warning shots.
Witnesses also saw Loewe being hit repeatedly with a crowbar before he was whisked away on a stretcher and rushed to a local hospital. His condition was not immediately known.
"We were attempting to stage a peaceful protest in the Masinloc coal power plant when a number of ground personnel became very violent and began to throw stones," Greenpeace campaigner Red Constantino claimed.
"Gunshots were also fired from rifles and one of our activists was repeatedly hit in the face and rammed with a steel bar while he was immobile on the ground," he said.
Others listed as injured were New Zealander Debra Gay Pristor, and Filipinas Pam Palma and Janine Mercado. They were also taken to hospital along with the other injured.
Constantino admitted they did not have a permit to enter the compound but said "the issue of climate change is of utmost urgency and this prompted us to enter the plant."
The National Power Corp. (Napocor), on the other hand, denied the claims of a violent scuffle taking place between the guards of the Masinloc coal-fired thermal power plant (MCFTPP) and the Greenpeace activists.
Napocor issued a statement deploring "the premeditated illegal intrusion" by Greenpeace activists, calling it "a stunt and a cheap shot at trying to attract attention at the expense of the public."
Napocor claimed a police report indicated the encroachment of some 20 Greenpeace activists in orange coveralls and helmets who arrived on motorized bancas and rubber boats at the plant from different points along the perimeter fence.
The group tried to forcibly enter the compound using ladders and rubber floor mats, Napocor said.
Napocor justified the use of force claiming the power plant personnel and security guards had tried to prevent the illegal entry of the Greenpeace members even after some were able to enter into the highly-restricted area of the plant.
The illegal entrants approached the coal silos, and started scaling them using climbing equipment, indicating their plans to disrupt the operation of the power plant, Napocor said.
"The power plant is a high security risk area and its operations should be protected," Napocor said.
Napocor pointed out Masinloc is one of the major power plants feeding the energy of Metro Manila and the entire Luzon.
As a baseload power plant, it runs continuously from morning to night, seven days a week, and serves as the backbone of the grid’s power generation, they said.
"Greenpeace has placed the operations of the power plant at risk by disrupting its security. Had plant operations been jeopardized, the result would have been costly," Napocor said.
Napocor claimed one of the supposed trespassers had complained of chest pains, apparently after climbing the coal silo.
The "trespasser," whom Napocor failed to identify, had requested to be brought to the nearest hospital, while the rest of the group were turned over to the Masinloc police.
"(Their) identification revealed that the illegal entrants were composed of Filipino and foreign nationals," Napocor said.
"It is regrettable that instead of conducting peaceful dialogue, Greenpeace has to resort to cheap theatrics to have its message delivered, at the expense of assuring our public of a continuous electricity supply. National Power has always been very open to dialogue," they said.
Napocor stressed the power plant, and the other power facilities it maintains, are compliant with the standards of the Clean Air Act and international standards for emissions and environmental compliance for power plant operations.
"Anytime Greenpeace is available to sit down to discuss our operations with them, we are always open," Napocor said.
The group is among the crew of the Greenpeace flagship, the Rainbow Warrior 2, which is currently in the Philippines on a Southeast Asian tour to raise awareness on climate change.
Last week, Greenpeace figured in a scuffle with Mother Nature itself when its 180-foot schooner scraped an area of some 1,700 square feet of coral at the Tubbataha Reef and Marine Park in Palawan.
The environmental group apologized to the Philippine authorities and paid P384,000 in fines for destroying the world heritage site it is supposed to protect. — With AFP, AP
A German volunteer for environmental watchdog Greenpeace was beaten up yesterday by armed guards at a coal-fired power plant in Masinloc, Zambales after the activists forced their way into the compound to stage a protest related to climate change.
A New Zealander and some Filipinos were also injured when they were hit by stones hurled by the guards, the group said.
German Jens Loewe, 36, was beaten and hit by a crowbar in the face and head while he was on the ground, Greenpeace said. Also badly beaten was Filipino activist Tomas Leonor, 24.
The group claimed private security guards of the 600-megawatt Masinloc plant also fired warning shots.
Witnesses also saw Loewe being hit repeatedly with a crowbar before he was whisked away on a stretcher and rushed to a local hospital. His condition was not immediately known.
"We were attempting to stage a peaceful protest in the Masinloc coal power plant when a number of ground personnel became very violent and began to throw stones," Greenpeace campaigner Red Constantino claimed.
"Gunshots were also fired from rifles and one of our activists was repeatedly hit in the face and rammed with a steel bar while he was immobile on the ground," he said.
Others listed as injured were New Zealander Debra Gay Pristor, and Filipinas Pam Palma and Janine Mercado. They were also taken to hospital along with the other injured.
Constantino admitted they did not have a permit to enter the compound but said "the issue of climate change is of utmost urgency and this prompted us to enter the plant."
The National Power Corp. (Napocor), on the other hand, denied the claims of a violent scuffle taking place between the guards of the Masinloc coal-fired thermal power plant (MCFTPP) and the Greenpeace activists.
Napocor issued a statement deploring "the premeditated illegal intrusion" by Greenpeace activists, calling it "a stunt and a cheap shot at trying to attract attention at the expense of the public."
Napocor claimed a police report indicated the encroachment of some 20 Greenpeace activists in orange coveralls and helmets who arrived on motorized bancas and rubber boats at the plant from different points along the perimeter fence.
The group tried to forcibly enter the compound using ladders and rubber floor mats, Napocor said.
Napocor justified the use of force claiming the power plant personnel and security guards had tried to prevent the illegal entry of the Greenpeace members even after some were able to enter into the highly-restricted area of the plant.
The illegal entrants approached the coal silos, and started scaling them using climbing equipment, indicating their plans to disrupt the operation of the power plant, Napocor said.
"The power plant is a high security risk area and its operations should be protected," Napocor said.
Napocor pointed out Masinloc is one of the major power plants feeding the energy of Metro Manila and the entire Luzon.
As a baseload power plant, it runs continuously from morning to night, seven days a week, and serves as the backbone of the grid’s power generation, they said.
"Greenpeace has placed the operations of the power plant at risk by disrupting its security. Had plant operations been jeopardized, the result would have been costly," Napocor said.
Napocor claimed one of the supposed trespassers had complained of chest pains, apparently after climbing the coal silo.
The "trespasser," whom Napocor failed to identify, had requested to be brought to the nearest hospital, while the rest of the group were turned over to the Masinloc police.
"(Their) identification revealed that the illegal entrants were composed of Filipino and foreign nationals," Napocor said.
"It is regrettable that instead of conducting peaceful dialogue, Greenpeace has to resort to cheap theatrics to have its message delivered, at the expense of assuring our public of a continuous electricity supply. National Power has always been very open to dialogue," they said.
Napocor stressed the power plant, and the other power facilities it maintains, are compliant with the standards of the Clean Air Act and international standards for emissions and environmental compliance for power plant operations.
"Anytime Greenpeace is available to sit down to discuss our operations with them, we are always open," Napocor said.
The group is among the crew of the Greenpeace flagship, the Rainbow Warrior 2, which is currently in the Philippines on a Southeast Asian tour to raise awareness on climate change.
Last week, Greenpeace figured in a scuffle with Mother Nature itself when its 180-foot schooner scraped an area of some 1,700 square feet of coral at the Tubbataha Reef and Marine Park in Palawan.
The environmental group apologized to the Philippine authorities and paid P384,000 in fines for destroying the world heritage site it is supposed to protect. — With AFP, AP
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