Published
December 12, 2017, 10:00 PM By
Ellson Quismorio
Bayan Muna Party-List
Rep. Carlos Zarate castigated the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for
imposing what it called a “double standard” between the Manila Electric Company
(Meralco) and consumers groups who want to oppose questionable energy deals.
“Hindi natin masisisi
na iisipin ng mga tao na may double standard sa ERC dahilnapaka-strict
nilasa rules sa consumer groups (We can’t blame the people for thinking
that ERC imposes double standard since they’re very strict with the rules when
it comes to consumer groups),”Zarate said Monday during the a joint hearing of
the House Committees on Good Government and Public Accountability and Energy.
Monday’s inquiry was
the last regarding the seven controversial power supply agreements (PSAs) that
Meralco-affiliated generation companies (gencos) are applying for before the
ERC.
Zarate’s House
Resolution (HR) No.566, which was among the resolutions tackled during the
course of the joint hearings, referred to the PSAs as “sweetheart deals”
between Meralco and the ERC since these were accepted after the 5 p.m. April
29, 2016 filing deadline had lapsed.
Thus, the double
standard.
“Kaya hindi
nila maintindihannanapaka-striktonatindoonsa rules regarding intervention
(That’s why the consumer groups can’t understand why we’re so strict with the
rules regarding intervention)…there are instances that these things are
acommodated,” the Makabayan solon said.
“Unahin nila
i-implement yung rules (They should first implement the rules),”Zarate said of
the regulatory body.
He added sarcastically:
“Again as I pointed out, if you accommodate, in-extend nang in-extend yung
deadline, tapos from 5 p.m. sinabi na basta nasaloob
ka, still accommodated (They kept on extending the deadline, they said as long
as you’re inside the office by 5 p.m., you’re still accommodated).”
PSAs at ERC include
deals on the construction of coal-fired power plants with the following
entities: Redondo Peninsula Energy Incorporated (for a 225-megawatt [MW]
plant); Atimonan One Energy, Inc. (1,200 MW); St. Raphael power Generation
Corporation (400 MW); Central Luzon Premiere Power Corporation (528 MW);
Mariveles Power Generation Corporation (528 MW); Panay Energy Development
Corporation (70 MW); Global Luzon Energy Development Corporation (600 MW).
ERC,
Meralco slammed
Personalities who
oppose such deals are called “intervenors.” Two frustrated intervenors in
consumer advocates Romeo Junia and Uriel Borja attended the House
proceedings Monday to vent on ERC’s alleged unfair treatment.
“Despite the fact that
their (gencos) applications were filed 5:30 p.m. onwards, and the other four
cases that have no number obviously can’t be filed earlier because Redondo, the
lowest numbered case, was filed 5:30 in the afternoon. The others have higher
numbers. Obviously there were [filed] after 5:30 p.m.,” said Junia, a
representative of United Filipino Consumers and Commuters (UFCC) and Freedom
from Debt Coalition (FDC).
The ERC had earlier
denied Junia and Borja’s petitions to become intervenors on the PSAs after they
belatedly filed their motions for intervention. The filing period is five
days prior to the initial hearing of the case.
“If you can recall Mr.
Chairman in an earlier hearing, the ERC resource person even admitted that they
stayed open until 11 p.m. or close to midnight just to receive the
applications. You should have had a competitive selection process (CSP)
beforehand because that’s what the rules said. Any application after 5 p.m. of
April 29 will not be received without the CSP,”Junia further said.
Meanwhile, Borja rued
the mounting legal expenses in connection with the challenging of such power
deals. He claimed that Meralco does not have this problem.
“Mabuti
itong Meralco, lahat ng cost nila (The good thing about Meralco as
far as their costs go), they [pass] it to their consumers but we, who represent
consumer interests, will have to do it on our own.
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