SANLAKAS-Negros sues CENECO TPBAC officials

Multi-sectoral group Sanlakas-Negros on Friday proceeded with their legal action against Central Negros Electric Cooperative Acting General Manager Danny Pondevilla and five others in connection with their doggedness in purchasing electricity from coal plants.

Jun Año, one of the leaders who signed the complaints on behalf of Sanlakas, disclosed that they have already filed the cases against Pondevilla, CENECO Third Party Bids and Awards Committee (TPBAC) Chairman Norman Pollentes, and TPBAC members Dennis Fernandez, Chuchie Destriza and Dindo Ramos, Rogelio Yap.

The CENECO officials were charged were for dishonesty, grave misconduct, neglect of duty, gross incompetence in the performance of official duties, refusal to perform official duty , insubordination, and conduct prejudicial to the interest of the electric cooperative and member-consumers.

“CENECO must listen to the voice of member-consumers, who are technically their bosses. It is not a secret that many consumer groups have already registered their opposition to the signing of a new contract with KEPCO that will bind us to dirty, costly, and unreliable electricity for years,” said Año, who also serves as the Negros Coordinator of Sanlakas.

Año also explained that they have also copy furnished the respondents to the case before filing the complaint at the National Electrification Administration (NEA).

“We reiterate our demand that the CENECO-TPBAC conduct a Competitive Selection Process (CSP) based on their new Power Supply Procurement Plan (PSPP) to ensure that the economic effects of the pandemic will be taken into consideration. We want to ensure that the next contract will only purchase power that member-consumers need, and that the energy we will be using is clean, reliable, and affordable,” he added.

Aside from Año, Bakyas Laurel Women’s Association (BLWA) Chairperson Febonnie Pelingon Casandra also signed the cases as a complainant. BLWA is one of the member-organizations of Sanlakas-Negros.