Saturday, February 17, 2007 NBI asked to probe power transformer purchase By Bong Garcia
THE City Council, through a resolution, has asked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate whether the power transformer purchased by the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) is brand new and was bought from China or only in Pampanga.
Councilor Cesar Iturralde said he authored the resolution during the regular session on Thursday after Zamcelco insisted in installing and operating the P33 million worth power transformer despite the council's appeal to the electric cooperative to reject it until it is ascertained by an independent group as "brand new."
Zamcelco and its supplier, the Danitech Power System Corporation, have insisted that the 20-megavolt-ampere (MVA) power transformer is brand new.
The San Jose Gusu sub-station supplies electricity to most of the west coast barangays of this city.
San Jose Gusu sub-station tender Noel Apolinario said the newly bought power transformer was already commissioned and started servicing Barangay Baliwasan and the dedicated lines, which are the industrial factories in Barangay San Jose Gusu.
Apolinario said the new power transformer is scheduled to start servicing next week the entire San Jose Gusu and Upper Calarian feeders.
The San Jose Gusu sub-station power transformer conked out recently and no longer serviceable, the reason why Zamcelco decided to buy another power transformer.
The members of the City Council express doubt that the power transformer is brand new since they noted some parts of the equipment are already rusty during an ocular inspection at San Jose-Gusu sub-station of Zamcelco.
Iturralde said they have nothing against Zamcelco except that they are only protecting the interest of the power consumers of this city, especially those staying in the west coast.
Councilor Asbi Edding led other members of the City Council on Tuesday in filing a petition for prohibition with prayer for issuance of temporary restraining order and writ of preliminary injunction against Zamcelco and the Danitech Power System Corporation in relation to the purchase of the power transformer.
The petition stressed that the foregoing "actuations of the Zamcelco in conspiracy and collaboration with Danitech," the supplier of the transformer, "amounts to grave abuse of their power or authority to the irreparable damage and prejudice of all member-consumers, including herein petitioners."
The petition seeks the issuance of the TRO to enjoin defendants and or their representatives or agents from doing any of the following: further installation work on the 20 MVA power transformer; to forego any testing or operation of the said 20 MVA power transformer; to enjoin Zamcelco from accepting the transfer until the relief prayer is completed; and to allow independent group of highly skilled and competent representative of consumer member to conduct inspection, verification and or investigation to ascertain and determine if the unit is certified brand new.
It also seeks the issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction permanently restraining or enjoining Zamcelco from accepting the transformer.
