ERC execs not yet cleared; House panel looking at power consumers’ concerns

Officials of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) who were implicated in alleged “midnight deals” in the awarding of multi-trillion peso power supply contracts are not yet off the hook.

This was gathered after the House Committees on Energy and on Good Government released a joint panel report recommending the immediate resolution of the power supply agreement (PSA) applications of seven generation firms tied with the Manila Electric Company (Meralco).

Various consumer groups, among them the United Filipino Consumers and Commuters headed by consumer rights activist Rodolfo Javellana, criticized the joint panel for the report, saying that it whitewashed the congressional investigation.

The joint congressional probe was supposedly directed at determining liabilities of ERC officials who were assailed for alleged deliberate delay in the implementation of the agency’s competitive selection process (CSP) in order to pave the way for the participation of Meralco.

“We are still preparing our report considering there are two resolutions filed re: ERC,” disclosed Surigaodel Sur Rep. Johnny Ty-Pimentel, chairman of the good government panel.

Pimentel’s statement was seen as an assurance that his House committee will come up with another report, this time, addressing the concerns raised by Bayan Muna Rep. IsaganiZarate who wanted ERC official investigated on the delay of the CSP.

The joint committee report released last week by Pimentel and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, energy panel chairman, drew flak from consumer organizations who aired fears of a whitewash.

Javellana said the House committees must release the recommendation concerning the responsibilities of ERC commissioners in the deliberate delay of the CSP.

The report also did not mention other facts discovered by the committees during their inquiry into the Meralco deals.

These included information from Zarate’s resolution showed that the cost of the PSAs would not average 13.67 per kilowatt but at least 15.12/kwh, which is expensive.

Zarate’s presentation also indicated that, over the 20- to 21-year duration of the PSAs, these Meralco contracts will cost its customers not just 12.28 trillion but up to 13.19 trillion.