The Negros Occidental Provincial Legal Office (PLO) is asking for an extension of time to submit its legal opinion on the call for the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s retraction of its Resolution of Non-Objection (RONO) to a 300 MW Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Combined Cycle Power Plant in San Carlos City.
The SP in its regular session on Tuesday, July 26, directed the PLO and Provincial Environment Management Office to give them their opinions on the matter within five working days, Board Member Manuel Frederick Ko said.
San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza and other environmentalists are demanding that the SP retract the RONO it granted for the building of the LNG power plant being proposed by the San Miguel Corp.-owned Reliance Energy Development Inc.
Alminaza said that the Environmental Impact Assessment of the project is “still under preparation” by the proponent, and that the Department of the Interior and Local Government Memorandum Circular (DILG MC) 22-018 states that LGUs cannot issue a Letter of No Objection without an EIA, therefore deeming the RONA invalid.
Provincial Legal Officer Alberto Nellas Jr. on Thursday, July 28, said it is a complicated matter and they will need at least 20 days to render their opinion.
The PLO will also have to seek the DILG position on the matter, he added.
San Carlos Mayor Renato Gustilo on Wednesday said LNG as a source of energy is allowed by the national government so who is he to object to the plant.
He said the opponents of the plant are against the use of fossil fuel yet they use electricity sourced from coal-fired power plants in Cebu and Panay.
They should have also put a stop to those coal-fired power plants, he said.
If they are opposed to fossil fuel they should cut off the electricity in their houses and ride on kalesas (two-wheeled horse-drawn carriages) instead of vehicles that run on gas, he said.
It they want to stage a rally in front of the San Carlos City Hall from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. we will welcome them and feed them, Gustilo added.*