By:
Daxim L. Lucas - 05:03 AM May 02, 2017
(First of two parts)
The state-owned
National Transmission Corp. (Transco) and the privately held National Grid
Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) are on a collision course over what the
government agency believes is the latter’s decision to allow third parties to
use government property without authority.
In particular, Transco
wants NGCP to explain why telecommunications giants Globe Telecom Inc. and
Smart Communications were given access to the power grid operator’s facilities
that remain the property of the national government despite the franchise
agreement that gave NGCP the right to operate it.
In late March,
Transco’s newly appointed chief, Melvin Matibag, wrote NGCP president and CEO
Henry Sy Jr. seeking clarification about supposed “dismantling and
de-installation activities” currently being done within the substations of
NGCP.
According to Matibag,
his office had received reports that the dismantling of telecommunications
facilities were being conducted in NGCP’s substations, high voltage towers and
high voltage poles. These facilities are supposedly owned by Bell
Telecommunications Philippines Inc.—a company which was sold by its former
owner, San Miguel Corp., to Globe and Smart in the country’s largest deal in
recent years for P70 billion.
Matibag said his office
has proof that “more than 10 contractors” were employed to undertake the
decommissioning activities in NGCP’s facilities until May 2017 and that all
payments to these contractors were guaranteed by Globe and Smart, as evidenced
by the signatures of these companies’ officials on the transaction documents.
“We also take note of
the installations that were made in several substations as early as 2015, as
found out on routine inspections made by Transco personnel,” the official said,
adding that the installations consisted of “highly secured” and “fully powered”
container vans with backup generators and CCTV cameras in several Luzon
substations.
“We would like to make
it known that Transco or the government was never made aware of such
installations and construction of these facilities,” Matibag said in his
letter. “These, despite the fact that all the grounds and locations where these
facilities were erected are owned by Transco.”
Matibag—who is a
longtime associate of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, dating back to their days
as officials of the Manila International Airport Authority during the
administration of President Arroyo—then ordered NGCP to answer the government’s
findings.
“We are, therefore,
giving notice for NGCP to explain and shed light on the erected facilities and
make a confirmation of the reported dismantling or decommissioning of the said
facilities,” he said.
More ominously, the
energy official added: “If true, we demand that NGCP and other entities
authorized by NGCP to cease and desist from any activities of de-installation,
dismantling or decommissioning of the facilities mentioned to protect the
interests of the government.”
Finally, the Transco
chief demanded that NGCP’s facilities be opened to its personnel for the
conduct of and immediate audit and inspection.
According to industry
sources, the Transco’s letter is the first of what is expected to be a broader
salvo in an attempt by the Department of Energy and its allied agencies to rein
in the power of the the privately run NGCP.
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