|
Thursday, August 07, 2003
Zamcelco's execs to return P723T
ZAMBOANGA City Councilor Luis Kim Elago Monday denounced some officials in the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) for "claiming benefits and allowances not in accordance with the guidelines of the National Electrification Administration (NEA)."
Elago presented in a press briefing Wednesday a 36-page document released by NEA detailing Zamcelco's "questionable deeds and corrupt practices" that include excess allowances of board of directors, violation of purchasing policies and failure to provide funds for retiring employees.
Elago said in a press statement that Zamcelco as a cooperative has to explain to its 85,000 member-consumers on the reported numerous cooperative guidelines violation prepared by NEA."
"The 85,000 member-consumers deserve an explanation because they are part-owners of the electric cooperative and the Zamcelco elected directors have that social responsibility and moral obligation to explain to the people," Elago said.
He said "if Zamcelco continue to incur more losses then the consumers will eventually pay for the mistakes of Zamcelco directors and in fact it is already happening now since the member-consumers are part owners of the electric cooperative."
"Another unlikely situation is that Zamcelco employees who will retire will no longer receive their separation pay because of the unavailability of funds. As cooperative member-consumers we always have the right to be informed of the affairs of the cooperative," according to Elago.
The NEA report showed that from January 2000 to January 2003, a total of P723,136.10 has been disallowed and charged back to the account of the board of directors for claiming benefits and allowances not in accordance with the guidelines of NEA.
The board has been receiving monthly per diems of P5,000 instead of P3,000 under NEA guidelines or an excess of P2,000 each.
For representation allowance, the president and the members of the board received monthly representation allowance of P2,800 and 1,300, respectively. NEA allows only P1,800 and P1,000 respectively.
The Zamcelco directors are Carmelo Miranda, Tito Espiritusanto, Efigenio Julian, Miguel Apostol, Aida Nuņo Loong, Gilbert Alavarez, Rommel Ortega, Francisco Jimenez and Leopoldo Toribio.
Zamcelco officials, however, are in Manila attending the NEA week celebration when their reaction on the issue was sought.
(August 7, 2003 issue)
Want Sun.Star news on your mobile phone? Click here.
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[ return
to top ]
[ home
]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
