Protesting Killer Cables
Document Title: Protesting Killer Cables
Document Ref No: R9703021
First Published: Reflections - TBA
Publication Date: 2nd March 1997
Author's Name: Father Shay Cullen, SSC
This story about the killer cables of Olongapo will show how callous and brutish are some government officials when they put their own selfish interests before the right's of children. We must all be on the alert to the dangers from Electro-Magnetic Radiation. (EMR) and fight to protect children.
Children are most vulnerable to the deadly effects of EMR coming from transformers, electric cables, high tension wires, radio and cellular antenna and even cell phones. Research studies show that the danger is real. Community leaders after reading about it call me up for advice and information. Power companies like Napocor and cellular phone companies are adamant in denying that there is danger. But the truth is coming our more clearly and ISYU will keep you informed in the future. The privatization of Napocor will leave the investor companies with this headache and many future legal battles like the over the violation of human rights by the police acting for the the interests of Napocor and the Gordon's of Olongapo.
The Preda Children's Home in Olongapo protested the erection of the Power cables close to the home in April 1996. Napacor first promised to reroute the most dangerous pylon but this was stopped by Mayor Kate Gordon who instead got Napacor to reroute the cables away from the nearby property claimed by the Gordon.
It was then crystal clear that the government was out for it's own interests and not that of the children. We mounted a protest picket on the most dangerous pylon close to the children's home. At 2 AM on Easter Sunday Morning we erected a sturdy platform forty foot up the needle like steel pole that stood 30 meters across the road from the children's home. Then Napacor using a sub-contractor, Alpha-Omega, began stringing the 230 Kv.. cables. There was no obstruction to them.
Gordon and Napacor, insisted during the congressional hearing there was no danger and that the 230 Kv.. line would only carry 69 Kv for the SBMA. We asked, if is only for 69 KV... current why the bigger pylons and thicker cables that damage the environment, and cost millions more in purchasing and power loss through resistance? Napocor engineers replied lamely that they had extra poles and cables left over from other projects. They did not say if the ADB paid for the same materials twice. In fact it began to smell like a white elephant with corruption everywhere who can tell what was going on. The truth that the pylons and cables were totally unnecessary makes these allegations more powerful.
They were not necessary because there already exists a very good 69 Kv line supplying the power to the SBMA passing on a parallel but safer route over the Olongapo cemetery. It only needed to be upgraded. The extra pylon erected for the Gordons stands outside the entrance to the Olongapo Public cemetery for all to see and as testimony against this skullduggery .
Our power pole protest lasted from April to 13 June. Then mayor Gordon signed a letter ordering Olongapo Police superintendent Nicasio Radovan to break up our protest and they did so brutally They tore down our poster and signboards. They used the Alpha Omega Crane to send four police up to the platform without arrest warrants and physically attacked me and my companion. I was beaten up, illegally arrested and detained and suffered physical injuries and my companion also.
The director of the Children's Home, Mr. Alex Corpus Hermoso was threatened at gun point and robbed of his camera with the photographic evidence and his radio. I too was robbed of a camera, hand-held radio and a cell phone. The police denied having taken them despite the witnesses to this plain robbery and violation of our rights.
I was thrown into a police van by Radovan and he kicked me for good measure. I was head down in the van stuck between the seats the two sets of handcuffs cutting the flesh of my hands. My companion was treated with brutally also. Then in the police station I was interrogated like a criminal by Col. Radovan and Atty. Mario Lyeco, the lawyer representing the Gordons. The doctors we called in Olongapo would not give me a medical examination they were so frightened and intimidated by the local dictatorship. The Olongapo police director, Nicasio Radovan, his officers and 17 of his men are now facing charges before the courts. The Human Rights commission and the Ombudsman found weighty prima facie evidence against them. The PNP administrative investigation whitewashed it as expected.
These killer cables erected by government for selfish reasons endanger the public. They ignite anger and passion because of danger and arrogance of those who abuse their authority. The danger from killer cables will only be removed by public awareness and protest, and strong legislation. END
