NPA rebels raid Catanduanes' power plant

Dave's picture
Submitted by Dave on Wed, 09/09/2009 - 7:52am

from Daily Inquirer: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20090908-224209/NPA-rebels-raid-Catanduanes-power-plant

By Fernan Gianan
Inquirer Southern Luzon
First Posted 14:34:00 09/08/2009

VIRAC, Catanduanes, Philippines—Around 20 suspected New People's Army rebels raided the construction site of the Sunwest Water & Electricity Co. in Solong, San Miguel, some 15 kilometers from this capital city on Monday morning, the provincial police reported on Tuesday.

Sunwest allegedly refused to pay the so-called revolutionary tax imposed by the communist rebels in the area, said Senior Inspector Samuel Villamer, San Miguel municipal police chief.

Quoting one unidentified worker, Villamer said the 100 workers at the site, were forced to stop their work at the Solong mini-hydroelectric power plant situated in the mountain in the village after the attack.

The rebels, who were armed with a caliber 60 machine gun, carbines and M16 rifles, confiscated the keys to a dump truck, backhoe, a Willys jeep and a drilling machine before descending down the winding mountain road.

"The incident began at about 9:45 a.m. when five of the rebels showed up at the fore bay site where 57 workers were pouring concrete for the dam wall," the worker said.

An auxiliary unit of the Army's Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) and a team from the 22nd Cadre Battalion led by Sergeant Zaldy Lozada have been tasked to secure the three mini hydro power projects being built by Suweco in the village of Solong and Kapipian in San Miguel town and in Hitoma village in Caramoran town.

According to police, Monday’s attack was the first time the mini-hydro construction site was "harassed" since work began in 2008.

Sunwest is hoping to finish by December 2009 the two-megawatt Solong plant, which is expected to deliver affordable electricity to the more than 30,000 consumers of the First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Ficelco).

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Development Project?

ilaya's picture
Submitted by ilaya on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 2:37am.

This is a development project that will help the people of Catanduanes but why impose a revolutionary tax? This is a big question and people cannot help but abhor this kind of action. Is this plain piracy and extortion only by people who really don't care for our island power problem and development? What kind of platform and policy is this? People need an explanation please.

Mga nice people

Submitted by Jerry B. de Leon on Fri, 05/14/2010 - 3:36am.

Ay naku mga nice people na yan kung yan ang pirmi nyong pigagibo kuninyan pano man ako maniwara sainyo. Nakauyag kamo imbes na makatabang. Atang pirmi na sanang brownout diyan sa ato dadagdagan niyo pa lalo.

NPA REBELS @MAHAL KAYA NG MGA NPA ANG ATIN BAYAN

Lovely_Sophie's picture
Submitted by Lovely_Sophie on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 8:24am.

I think the NPA don't love our country at all. Bakit sila nangugulo in most places of our country particularly sa provinces. lalo sa atin bayan Catanduanes. If they have grievances against the government, idaan nila sa mapayapang paraan, at di dapat sila manunog ng mga cellcites o magsira ng mga infrastructure utilities, just to attract attention. Lalo lang babagsak ang economy natin sa ginagawa nila. Di sila nakakatulong, mas lalo pa silang nakakagulo. Kung Love mo ang country mo, idaan mo ang saloobin mo through peaceful means, at di dapat naninira ng mga bagay, na di naman nila pag aari..... ang daming taong mamayan ang nadadamay.... Dahil sa sinasabing revolutionary tax....

why do they do it.....

toracks's picture
Submitted by toracks on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 9:05am.

NPA is as awhole was influenced by marxism. a philosophy that developed during the resoration after world war. So it puts man as the center and economy as the goal. and this later developed and became a communist movement.
having a peaceful way is difficult between the government and the communist because both parties has different ways and objectives. the war will never end it will continue up untill there is a government to oppose. you see, communism was built during marcos time to kick off marcos. its 2009, still they are their. they will never stop.
peaceful means is not the way of communism. peaceful way is the way of the church. maybe you can join the peaceful way and pray, go to church and offer it for our province.
God Bless
toracks

NPA

Lovely_Sophie's picture
Submitted by Lovely_Sophie on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 9:56am.

Wala naman ako alam masyadong concrete na idea about NPA ,Hinde naman ako lumaki sa atin bayan.
Yun nga lang, pag narinig mo ang salitang NPA, ang unang maiisip mo, REBELDE! nag rerebelde sila sa takbo ng sistema ng bansa natin. hindi man malinaw ang motives o saan sila patutungo, may mga kanya kanya tayong diskarte kung paano natin ipapahiwatig ang pag mamahal sa bansa, ito ba ang way nila! . Ang isla Catanduanes kilala ng centro ng bagyo ,ngayun naman kilala pugad ng rebelde NPA.
Mr. Toracks tama po kayo . ipag dasal na lang ng ating mga kakabayan ,kasama na ako, maging peaceful ang ating province. GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS TO ALL.

Nakakalungkot kasama ang takot.

Butchelder's picture
Submitted by Butchelder on Thu, 05/13/2010 - 8:45pm.

Nakakalungkot ngang isipin, noon malinis ang Catanduanes, peaceful, walang takot ang mga tao, takot na baka madamay sila sa gulo. Sana naman ang mga kapatid nating NPA ay huwag nang sirain ang proyekto ng gobyerno, dahil ito'y para sa mga tao.