‘No to coal ash dumping in Balili lot’

AN ENVIRONMENTALISTS’ group yesterday reiterated its opposition on coal ash dumping at the Balili beach property in Naga City, south Cebu.

Mark Dia, country representative of Greenpeace Philippines, said coal-ash endangers the environment and the people.

“Coal ash is a highly toxic material. That is a given. No one would refute that,” Dia said.

He requested the Cebu provincial government, which owns the Balili beach property, to consider the environment in its aim for development.

“Please think of the environment when you make a decision,” said Dia when asked about his message to the province.

Dia said they are happy that three Greenpeace activists were cleared by court on acusations of  unlawfully entering the Balili beach property.

“We are happy. They just bear witness to the environmental crime in dumping coal-ash at the Balili beach,” he said.

He said they will continue opposing the plan of the Capitol to dump coal-ash in the area.

Last Friday, Judge Gerardo Gestopa Jr. of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities in Naga City found no sufficient evidence against Greenpeace activists Norineal Tolibas and Christine Garnace, and Amalie Obusan.

Tolibas, Garnace, and Obusan were earlier charged with trespassing for entering the Balili beach.

But the judge said the prosecution’s evidence failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt any liability of the accused.

The three accused admitted entering the premises of the Balili beach property, saying that the area was not totally fenced.

Guards had told them them to leave the area, but some of the respondents instead took photographs while holding banners that state: “Stop Coal” and “Greenpeace.”

They left the property only when one of the guards fired a warning shot.

The environment activists are opposing pollution caused by coal-fired power plants like the ones operating in Naga and Toledo cities.

The Balili beach property is subject to an investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman.

Environmentalists found out that the property brought by the Capitol is submerged in water and planted with mangroves./ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL