(Eagle News) — The Ombudsman has ordered the filing of graft charges against commissioners of the Energy Regulatory Commission after they supposedly favored Manila Electric Co. when they extended the competitive selection process deadline for the filing of power supply agreements in 2015.
Commissioners Alfredo Non, Gloria Victoria Yap-Taruc, Josefina Patricia Asirit, and Geronimo Sta. Ana were also suspended for a year without pay after they were found liable for “conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service….”
ERC’s chairman, Jose Vicente Salazar, who was sacked for corruption in October, was meted out with a fine equivalent to six months of his salary.
“There is sufficient evidence that respondents gave unwarranted benefits to Meralco and other companies by exempting them from the coverage of CSP requirement which was already in effect after 06 November 2015,” the Ombudsman said.
The Ombudsman was referring to the agency’s extension of the CSP deadline for the filing of power supply agreements from November 2015 to April 30, 2016.
According to the anti-graft body, the extension allowed Meralco to secure 20-year power supply agreements with seven generation companies.