AFP paper says Malampaya pipeline not terror-proof.

Philippine Daily Inquirer
 | March 27, 2002 | Copyright
BATANGAS CITY-The Malampaya gas pipeline is not terror-proof.
Lt. Senior Grade Florante Nagua, assistant chief for strategy and policy of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said in a paper that the security forces guarding the pipeline are not completely equipped to prevent any terrorist attack on the pipeline.
Nagua's paper said should terrorists attack the pipeline, a region-wide catastrophe that would cause damages to Palawan up to Mindoro and Batangas could occur.
The Joint Security Force guarding the project is composed of personnel of the AFP, the Philippine National Police, and Shell Philippines security forces.
President Macapagal-Arroyo earlier ordered tight security on the project sites in three provinces.
In his position paper, Nagua said, "securing the exclusion and safety zones requires control of the surfaces, sub-surfaces and air spaces in the area in order to detect and identify traffic, and prevent, repel, or destroy hostile intrusion."
Unfortunately, the Philippine Air Force still does not have the aircraft that could monitor the Camago-Malampaya pipeline from Palawan to Batangas.
The Philippine Navy also does not have fast seacraft that could watch over the restricted zones.
The PAF still has no electronic sensors that could detect any moving object in the air or in the sea within the 504-kilometer restricted area around the project.
Supt. Rolando Lorenzo, Batangas police director, said they have stepped up patrols around the pipeline and tightened security.
He said five policemen were sent to the First Gas power plant in Sta. Rita and 15 policemen were sent to the Keilco power plant in Ilijan.
"By land, the terrorists won't have a chance."
David Greer, Shell-Malampaya Gas-to-Power Project managing director, said a terrorist attack on the pipeline area is simply impossible.
"How can the terrorists find the pipeline? Where is the pipeline? Nobody knows where it is except our engineers. And the submarine pipelines are over 600 meters underwater," Greer said.
After four years of constructing the 508-km submarine pipeline from Palawan to Batangas where the natural gas passes through, Greer will leave the country for other projects abroad.
The natural gas pipeline is the largest in the world.
The Malampaya gas-to-power project has made the country one of the world's major gas producers since its official operation on Oct. 16 last year.
The Philippine government will get $8 billion from the project in the next 20 years. (Mei Magsino, PDI Southern Luzon Bureau)