Power supplier consultant blasts ‘smear campaign’

pending with the ERC as of press time.

Tan also clarified the allegation that the United States Bankruptcy Court affirmed his intention to defraud creditors when he was president of the export company Edison- Hubbard Corp.

He said he declared business bankruptcy in 2000 after his company failed to collect from major customers in Latin America and the Philippines.

There was an allegation of fraud but what happened was “just commercial and credit failure,” Tan claimed.

Under United States laws, business risks are separate from personal risks, he said. “My personal f i nances are protected under that system.”

Tan also denied that he failed to fulfill a promise to Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative, Inc. to complete the installation, construction and operation of generation facilities.

“What is the relevance of this to Negros? I’m not a government official nor do I have political ambitions,” he said.

Tan believes this issue is being brought up by the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) because of his pro-consumer campaign, having been a main convener of Matuwid na Singil sa Kuryente (MSK), in 2014.

The MSK was formed by concerned Meralco consumers who “have deep knowledge of the electric power industry privatization and deregulation and the inner workings of the industry,” he said.

Tan said the group seeks to “enlighten the public and policymakers on the specific rules and practices that have been causing abusive power costs.”/