Business World Online
Posted on January 08, 2014 11:29:34 PM
THE GOVERNMENT yesterday asked to be excused from a lawsuit involving a record Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) rate hike, claiming that it was the utility’s duty to defend the increase.
Meralco secured government approval to implement a P4.15/kWh increase in three tranches starting December. Succeeding adjustments were set for February and March.
The Supreme Court last month issued a 60-day restraining order on the implementation of a P4.15 per kilowatt-hour rate hike, part of which was supposed to have been collected in December.
It asked Meralco, the Department of Energy (DoE) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to answer the complaints by Jan. 8.
The Office of the Solicitor General, in a six-page manifestation, said: “Inasmuch as public respondents ERC and DoE are impleaded in the two petitions merely as nominal parties, they are not required to file comment as provided in the ... Rules of Court.”
It noted that Section 5, Rule 65 states: “[I]t shall be the duty of such private respondents (Meralco) to appear and defend, both in his or their own behalf and in behalf of the public respondent or respondents affected by the proceedings...”.
A comment from Meralco was not immediately available. The distributor, however, met the high court’s Jan. 8 deadline to file its answer, which was not released to the media.
The Supreme Court is currently on a break and sessions are set to resume on Jan. 14. Oral arguments on the case have been set for Jan. 21.
Meralco shares rose P6 or 2.33% to close at P263 yesterday.
Meralco’s controlling stakeholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partly owned by Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT). Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld. source
It asked Meralco, the Department of Energy (DoE) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to answer the complaints by Jan. 8.
The Office of the Solicitor General, in a six-page manifestation, said: “Inasmuch as public respondents ERC and DoE are impleaded in the two petitions merely as nominal parties, they are not required to file comment as provided in the ... Rules of Court.”
It noted that Section 5, Rule 65 states: “[I]t shall be the duty of such private respondents (Meralco) to appear and defend, both in his or their own behalf and in behalf of the public respondent or respondents affected by the proceedings...”.
A comment from Meralco was not immediately available. The distributor, however, met the high court’s Jan. 8 deadline to file its answer, which was not released to the media.
The Supreme Court is currently on a break and sessions are set to resume on Jan. 14. Oral arguments on the case have been set for Jan. 21.
Meralco shares rose P6 or 2.33% to close at P263 yesterday.
Meralco’s controlling stakeholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partly owned by Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT). Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld. source
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