ILOILO CITY – The Bureau of Immigration and Deportation is investigating the involvement of foreigners in the protest actions of environmental activists against a proposed coal-fired power plant in this city.

BID Regional Director Francisco Artuz on Sunday inspected the Greenpeace ship, Rainbow Warrior, to check whether members of the ship's crew violated regulations and laws governing foreigners.

“We received reports that foreigners and crew members were seen joining the protest actions and we want to check if their papers are in order,” Artuz said in an interview before boarding the ship anchored near the shores of Barangay Ingore in La Paz District here where Greenpeace activists had set up a protest camp at the site of the proposed coal plant.

He said members of the crew are not allowed to leave the ship without a shore pass. They are also forbidden to join politically-oriented activities like protest actions.

Foreign crew members who violate regulations are liable for deportation, Artuz said.

Rainbow Warrior has 12 crew members, 10 of them foreigners, and has 15 guests on board. It has been here since June 7.

Greenpeace Climate and Energy Campaigner Jasper Inventor said it is within the authority of the BID to inspect the ship and its crew and to verify their papers.

“But we hope this is not meant to pressure us and Greenpeace activists from other countries to stop our protest against the project,” Inventor said.

Yesterday, Greenpeace activists dumped around 20 sacks of charcoal in front of a Metrobank branch here to protest the proposed coal-fired power plant project after a three-day protest camp out at the site of the proposed coal plant.

The Global Business Power Corp., a Metrobank subsidiary, and the Panay Power Corp., are pushing for the construction of a 164-mw coal-fired plant in Barangay Ingore in La Paz District.

But environmental and church groups are actively campaigning against it citing health and environmental hazards. They also blame coal plants as the leading cause of global warming and climate change.

The protest ended a three-day stand off between the opponents and supporters in Barangay Ingore , inside the 40-hectare property of PPC, where Greenpeace had erected a 20-foot portable tower and unfurled streamers and banners against the project.

Activists strapped themselves to tower and refused to leave until the project is shelved. But barangay officials and some residents supporting the project threatened to forcibly remove the structure if the protesters will not leave.

Barangay officials said the activists violated a village resolution prohibiting the setting of a structures without permission from the barangay captain.

A confrontation was avoided after parish priest Fr. Moises Tacardon intervened on Sunday and both groups agreed to give Greenpeace until noon yesterday to leave the site and dismantle their protest camp.

The activists removed the structures and left the area around 8 a.m. yesterday.*NPB

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