Anti-power plant protest in Camiguin shelved

           Denied by a permit to hold its rally against the proposed 4.4-megawatt diesel-fed power plant in Camiguin, the group did not push through with its plan to stage a protest on the opening of the island’s Lanzones festival on Sunday.

      The diesel-fed power plant will be constructed in Sitio Maubog, Barangay Balbagon in Mambajao town in Camiguin. Maria Teresa Rami, president of the Citizens for Green and Peaceful Camiguin (CGPC), said they would have held a peaceful assembly during the festival’s opening ceremony had the municipal government gave them the permit.

             It turned out the group’s request was denied by a mere technicality – its failure to submit the request five days before holding the planned protest. But Rami suspected there was an underlying reason for not allowing them to hold a protest march. CGPC’s request letter to Mambajao Mayor Maria Luisa Romualdo was dated October 16, 2014, and got a reply on the same day.

              In the reply, Vice-mayor Roldan Chan, by authority of Romualdo, did not categorically deny their request but an attachment, municipal ordinance 2012-67, or “An Ordinance designating the Amphitheatre as Freedom Park of the Municipality of Mambajao,” had made it clear the CGPC was not allowed to hold the rally for not submitting the request five days before the activity.

         “This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 16, 2014 requesting for the Mayor’s permit to hold a peaceful march in Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin comes (sic) October 19, 2014. However, please see attached our Municipal Ordinance for your reference and information,” 

               Roldan, in his reply, said. Section 5, paragraph a of the ordinance states that: "A written permit from the Mayor shall be required for any person or persons to organize and hold a public assembly such as rally, demonstrations, march, parade, procession in a public place or any street pursuant to BP 880. However, no permit shall be required if the public assembly shall be done or made in the freedom park provided however, an application in written form shall have been filed in the office of the Municipal Mayor and a copy being furnished at the Police Station at least five days before the conduct of said activity for purposes of proper coordination...”

             Under section 6, paragraph a of the same ordinance, it added that: “The applications shall be in writing and shall include the names of the leaders or organizers, the purpose of such public assembly, the place, the date, time and duration thereof, the probably number of persons participating and the public address systems to be used…”