Armed men attack solar farm in Cadiz

From the Visayan Daily Star (Sep 16): Armed men attack solar farm in Cadiz

Suspected New People's Army rebels armed with hand grenades and high powered weapons, as well as grenade launchers, fired at and damaged 90 solar panels of the biggest solar farm in Southeast Asia located in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, at about 10:20 p.m. Thursday, Mayor Patrick Escalante said yesterday.

Escalante placed the damage to the 90 solar panels at P2.250 million, which he said was minimal.

The armed men fired from outside the perimeter fence and no one was hurt, he said.

The close to P10 billion Helios Solar Energy Corp. solar farm in Barangay Tinampa-an, Cadiz City, was developed through a partnership between Gregorio Araneta Inc. and Soleq, one of Southeast Asia's largest solar independent power producers, whose mother company is Equis.

The 132.5 megawatt solar generation facility with 427,392 solar panels located in a 176-hectare area, was inaugurated in March this year.

NPA rebels are suspected to have perpetrated the crime as part of their extortion activities, the mayor said.

They reportedly tried to extort money from the firm, he said.

A police report said an unidentified group of 17 armed men speaking Hiligaynon and Cebuano were seen headed for the crime scene by witnesses.

The report said about 109 pieces of live ammunition were fired from high powered weapons, including M-16 armalite rifles,M79/M203 grenade launchers, and two firing pins of handgrenades were recovered.

Damaged were 90 solar panels and one CCTV camera at post No. 43, the report said.

The mayor said the Army and police were meeting yesterday afternoon to beef up security in what is one of the largest investments in the province.

Action needs to be taken to assure investors of security, he added.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2017/September/16/topstory2.htm