Bishop opposes revival of Bataan nuke power plant

MANILA, Philippines - A ranking Catholic bishop voiced opposition late Thursday to reported plans to revive the controversial Bataan Nuclear Power Plant. Manila auxiliary bishop Broderick Pabillo cited "potential dangers" resulting from the plant's operation to the health of residents in Morong town. "So that plan must be studied very carefully really," Pabillo said in an article on the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines website. Government earlier said the mothballed BNPP could be rehabilitated in at least five years at a cost of $800 million, and may help in meeting the rising demand for power. But Pabillo, who heads the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Social Action-Justice and Peace, said there is much at stake with the project, first of which is the danger to local residents. He also said a major concern is the geographical location, at the foot of Mount Natib, a potentially active volcano. Earlier, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz voiced opposition to the BNPP, citing the issue of disposal of nuclear waste. He said the government should first answer the "most important of all questions" if it wants to reopen the nuclear power plant for future energy use. For his part, Balanga Bishop Socrates Villegas said the construction of the plant was marred with irregularities. "It stands as a mute witness of abominable greed and corruption and as a reminder to all Filipinos that such deeds that only bring untold suffering should never again be foisted in our country," he earlier said. Villegas warned that reviving the power plant would increase incidence of "unbridled and shameless graft and corruption." - GMANews.TV