Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 21) — The Ombudsman on Thursday ordered the filing of a graft case against former Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) Chair Jose Vicente Salazar and four commissioners over alleged anomalous power supply agreements.
The Office of the Ombudsman also ordered the commissioners — Gloria Yap-Taruc, Alfredo Jacinto Non, Josefina Magpale-Asirit, and Geronimo Delgado Sta. Ana — to be suspended for a year without pay.
They are accused of giving undue favor to electrical power distributor Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and its sister company by exempting them from a required Competitive Selection Process (CSP) in 2016. The CSP is an acknowledged mechanism to make the cost of Power Supply Agreements more reasonable.
By delaying the implementation of the CSP, the Ombudsman said Salazar and the four commissioners failed to promote public interest and instead acted in favor of the electric companies.
The commission reportedly moved the deadline to conduct the CSP to allow Meralco to secure 20-year power supply agreements with seven generation companies.
Meralco has since denied allegations of being involved in “midnight deals.”
Salazar was ordered dismissed from service on October 6 by President Rodrigo Duterte following charges of misconduct, neglect of duty, and other anomalies filed against him.
Related: Chief of Philippines’ energy regulatory body ordered dismissed for misconduct
The order said Salazar was guilty of grave misconduct after flouting bidding procedures over an audio-visual presentation project. He did this by taking measures to ensure a production house he favored, Fatfree Inc., would get the project even before the procurement process could be observed.
