Consumer Group to Seek Legal Action Against NEA

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The National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reforms Inc. (Nasecore) has threatened legal action against the National Electrification Administration (NEA) if it fails to act on complaints against four officials of government owned electric cooperatives for allegedly using government funds and resources for campaigning as party list nominees in the last elections.

Nasecore is the group that took Manila Electric Company to the Supreme Court for overcharging consumers by including its income tax payments in the bill and won, with the SC ordering it to refund P30 billion to consumers.

“In the event that NEA fails or refuses to take remedial action on the matter and fails to formally notify us of its said action…we shall be compelled to take all legal remedies to protect member-consumer-owner interests,” Nasecore executive director Rafael Antonio Acebedo said in a letter to NEA on May 29.

According to Nasecore, the NEA has supervisory powers over electric cooperatives and that its function includes ensuring the economic and financial viability and operation of all electric cooperatives.

Acebedo asked the NEA for copies of the resignation letters of Atty. Danny Pondevilla of Northern Negros Electric Cooperative, Sergio Dagooc of Siargao Electric Cooperative, ENgr. Godofredo Guya of Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative, and Adriano Ebcas of Camiguin Electric Cooperative who all ran as representatives of partylist groups such as Philreca, APEC, Recoboda, and Ako Padayan last election.

Aside from the resignation letters, Nasecore also requested for copies of the board resolutions that would have accepted the resignations and the confirmation of the NEA of the resignations.

“We are making this request to ensure that their employment as general managers have ceased thereby stopping their entitlement to their monthly salaries and allowances and the possible use of cooperative funds and resources in their campaign efforts,” Acebedo said.

Even if the four did not tender resignation letters, they should have been considered resigned from their posts the moment they accepted the nomination as party-list representatives and should no longer have been entitled to “emoluments or privileges pertaining to such position,” Nasecore said.

Nasecore had earlier put NEA to task for allowing electric cooperatives donate funds for the campaigns of some partylist groups.

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