"Ang importante, lahat na stakeholders na interesado sa petition dapat mag-attend ng hearings. Yan ang pakiusap ng pangulo kahapon nang humarap sa Federation (What is important is that all stakeholders interested in the petition attend the hearings. That is what the president asked of businessmen when she addressed them Friday)," he said on government-run dzRB radio.
He said all those interested "should be active in participating in the hearings."
On the other hand, he asked critics to give the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) some breathing room to show its "independence."
"Gusto natin in the end mapababa itong singil ng Meralco dahil ilang mga distributor ng power gaya ng ilang power companies in Visayas and Mindanao, na-demonstrate nila pwede magsingil mas mababa kesa sa sinisingil ng Meralco (We want Manila Electric Co. to bring down its rates because power firms in Visayas and Mindanao already showed they can provide electricity at lower rates)," he said.
He added: "Besides, the National Power Corp. (Napocor) had shown in the past that it had given concessional rates to so-called 'big volume users.'"
Bunye, on the other hand, brushed off claims that Arroyo's order is meant to be a personal hit at Meralco, saying Arroyo is "acting in the best interest of the consumer."
"Yan ang dahilan kung bakit ang tagubilin ng pangulo bawasan din ang kanilang sinisingil sa Meralco para maipasa ang savings ng Meralco sa consumer (The president wants power rates lowered, so Meralco can pass on the savings to consumers)," he said.
As to the possible effect on Napocor's financial standing, he said: "That remains to be seen."
Bunye also defended the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS)'s move to demand an accounting at Meralco, saying it is in its right to do so as a "substantial stockholder."
"As stockholder may karapatan ang stockholder tingnan ang record at libro ng kumpanya. Ginagawa ng GSIS ine-exercise lang ang karapatan nito bilang stockholder and I personally agree and I think the president also agrees with the action being taken by GSIS (As stockholder GSIS has a right to demand an accounting. It is just exercising its right as stockholder. I think the president also agrees with the action of GSIS)," he said. (JMR/Sunnex)
