A rogue corporation like the PNOC deserves the full force of revolutionary justice
Fr. Santiago "Sanny" Salas
Spokesperson in Eastern Visayas
National Democratic Front of the Philippines
April 27, 2004
Even those who have nothing to do with the revolutionary movement know that the New People's Army never uses its belligerent force without good reason. The Philippine National Oil Co. and the Armed Forces of the Philippines are thus inutile in doggedly calling the meting of revolutionary justice on the PNOC last March 26 as an act of terrorism. The AFP's chief media handler in the region, Capt. Neil Franz Versoza, in fact covers up the PNOC as a victim rather than a rogue corporation that deserves the full force of revolutionary justice.
Contrary to its public relations spin, the PNOC has never brought much benefit to the region since being here in 1977 to tap Leyte's abundant geothermal power. Ironically, Eastern Visayas remains one of the regions with the lowest percentage of the population who use electricity-even though Leyte contributes hugely to the reason why the Philippines is the world's second leading user of geothermal power. To add insult to injury, the electricity rates in the region rank among the most exorbitant nationwide despite an electrical service that is also among the most mediocre. In fact, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had to promise to lower the electricity rates during her electoral campaign sortie here.
Thus, instead of considering the PNOC a boon, the people in reality curse this corporate monster along with the electric power industry where huge profits are drained by the foreign and local big businesses and corrupt government bureaucrats. Though a government corporation that is supposed to serve the people, the PNOC in fact merely serves as the workhorse of the imperialist corporations and the comprador and bureaucrat capitalists.
The PNOC also ruthlessly exploits and oppresses the peasants and workers. It lords over a geothermal reserve area in the two Leyte provinces comprising 107,625 hectares, where the peasants are increasingly being driven out of the 15-kilometer radius of a bogus industrial zone. The PNOC also brutally suppresses its workers, and since firing 41 strikers in 2001, the corporation has maintained a repressive atmosphere in its own virtual republic. The presence of the military, police, and armed goons is so routine that they freely use the company's facilities and vehicles, thus putting the lives of civilians at risk in possible crossfires like the March 26 incident.
The PNOC is a corporate rogue not only to the people but also to the environment. The peasants have repeatedly complained that noxious smoke from the geothermal plant has long been poisoning them as well as their crops. Explosions, chemical leaks, and other unreported accidents are common at PNOC facilities; in fact, the RIG-8 that was destroyed by the NPA was notorious for blowing up several times. Despite the wide-ranging effects of its activities on the environment, the PNOC has no comprehensive environmental protection program.
It can thus be seen that the PNOC has had a long history of serious accountabilities for being pro-imperialist, anti-people and anti-environment. Yet the PNOC refused to heed several strong warnings from the revolutionary government, which thus instructed the NPA to penalize the rogue corporation.
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For confirmation, contact:
Roy Santos, NDF-EV Media Liaison Officer
Cellphone No. 0918-3112138
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