Lay Catholics back Malampaya graft case

A network of lay Catholic organizations has come out to openly support the filing of a graft complaint against several government officials and private individuals over the sale to Udenna Corp. of Chevron’s stake in the Malampaya gas-to-power project.

The Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas (Council of Laity) said it supports the graft case filed by concerned citizens against Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, Udenna founder Dennis Uy, former and current officials of the Philippine National Oil Company Exploration Corp. and officials of Chevron Philippines.

“We agree with how the complainants describe this sale as the most incredible crony agreement in history,”said Laiko president Roquel Ponte, adding that the deal was unacceptable as it gave Uy, a known ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, a “horrendously appalling” undue advantage.

“It is tantamount to theft of our precious natural resources, and putting the country’s energy security at risk,”the group, in a statement, said as it expressed support to the inquiry of the Senate Committee on Energy on the agreement.

“We call on the Senate of the Republic of the Philippines and the Office of the Ombudsman to exert every effort to protect the interest of the government and of our people,” Ponte said.

“We support the graft case filed against the Malampaya stake sale to Udenna,” he added.

The $4.5-billion Malampaya project in the offshore northwest Palawan supplies about 20 percent of the country’s energy requirements.

With the sale, Udenna is set to control 90 percent of Malampaya, having bought the other 45 percent stake from Shell Philippines Exploration B.V.