Pinoy Weekly | Delay in release of DOE report on power hike, part of whitewash — Bayan Muna

Posted: 05 Jan 2014 08:46 AM PST

Rep. Neri Colmenares of Bayan Muna. (PW file photo)

Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares slammed Malacanang, the Department of Energy (DOE) and the power cartel for “conditioning the minds of the public” that there is no collusion among the power generators and that the PhP 4.15 power rate increase should be shouldered by electricity consumers without complaint.

The lawmaker said that the delay in the release of the DOE report is due to pressure from the so-called power cartel.

Energy Sec. Jericho Petilla ordered an investigation on the power hike by Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) last December 2013 before the Supreme Court issued a Temporary Restraining Order. But Petilla in recent media reports said that the planned PhP 4.15 per kilowatt-hour increase of Meralco is aboveboard and the country’s largest power distributor has all the right to appeal the TRO if it cannot absorb its losses.

“We have received reports from insiders doing the collusion probe that they are finding it hard to release the report even if it was way passed their December 30 deadline and even if they already announced that it will be released tomorrow January 6. (It is) because of the pressure from the power cartel that the investigation should say that there is no collusion,” Colmenares said.

Malacanang also said that the national government is powerless to stop rate hikes. “There’s no magic wand to wave,” said Abigail Valte, deputy presidential spokesperson in a press briefing yesterday.

Valte blamed the Energy Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) for the looming power hike increase, and said that Congress has the power to amend the law. But Bayan Muna said the Palace is trying to wash its hands anew of the power rate hike and maybe conditioning the minds of the public to accept the increase.
“We have an inutile president if that is the case. If he truly wants Epira repealed then classify it as urgent,” Colmenares said.

Luis Miguel Aboitiz, president of the Philippine Independent Power Producers Association or PIPPA, meanwhile, denied that there is collusion among power generators. But Aboitiz said that there may be black outs when the power rates are not increased.

Colmenares insists that there is a collusion. “It is clear from the outset of the Congress investigation that even just based on the initial investigation done by the DOE itself there are indications of collusion or cartelization of the power industry. It can only be changed when Malacanang, the DOE and the ERC would turn a blind eye to this and say that they can do nothing. Add to this the pressure from the power cartel that there would be blackouts when they are not paid then the result is a whitewash,” said the progressive solon.

Labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) also said that the Aquino government has also claimed in the past that it is incapable of stopping increases in school tuition and prices of petroleum products.

“The Aquino government is feigning helplessness before the power rate hike in order to allow Meralco to rob consumers blind. It wants the public to accept the power rate hike, not to stop the latter,” said Elmer Labog, KMU chairperson.

The groups calls for the public to be more vigilant in the face of an alleged whitewash report, “the longer that the report takes the more pressure or blackmail the power cartel will exert on the investigators to exonerate themselves,” said Rep. Colmenares.