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Protesting woman chains self to relay tower
Philippines Created: 2 Jul 2007
A woman chained herself near the top of a cellular relay tower in Cabuyao, Laguna to protest the construction of the structure at the back of her resthouse.

Melly Drake refused to come down despite pleadings from rescuers. She said the tower is a health hazard to residents because of the radiation it emits.

Drake also said that she is having a hard time selling her resthouse because of the structure.

“Kung gusto nilang bumaba ako dito, bilhin nila ang bahay ko! (If they want me to come down, they should buy my house first!)” said Drake.

The tower is owned by Smart Communications, Inc., a mobile phone company.

After six hours of hanging near the top of the tower, Drake demanded to speak to Cabuyao Mayor Jun Hemedes.

She descended from the tower upon the arrival of the mayor.

“Pinangakuan ko siya ng aking full support dito. [We] will investigate this at hindi siya namin pababayaan (I promised her my full support. We will investigate this, we will not put her case aside),” said Hemedes.

Smart, meanwhile, said it secured the necessary permits first before constructing the tower.

“We obtained all necessary clearance for the cell site. The house is 150 meters away from the cell site across the creek. The cell site is in Barangay Banay-Banay, Cabuyao and the house is in Barangay Pulo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna," the company said.

Mon Isberto, company spokesman, also said that Smart obtained the consent of residents in the area. He said the residents' consent is required before the local government gives the company a clearance.

"Wala na sa radius na required 'yung bahay kaya hindi na namin siya hiningan ng consent (The house is no longer within the required radius so we did not seek the owner's consent)," he added.
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Source: ABS CBN News,

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