OFFICIALS of La Trinidad in Benguet filed a civil case against Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) represented by general manager Gerardo Versoza for breach of contract and or specific performance and damage with a prayer for issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction.

Beneco previously entered a contract of streetlights with the City of Baguio and La Trinidad with the electric cooperative set to provide the necessary labor and materials for the maintenance of streetlights. However, the electric cooperative manifested it will no longer do repair and maintenance work.

Maintenance of street lights stopped May 2019 in La Trinidad and February for Baguio City.

It can be recalled Beneco assistant general manager Melchor Licoben penned mayor Romeo Salda in May 20 last year urging the municipality to find means to absorb the cost of maintenance of streetlights.

Licoben added the terms of the contract are no longer feasible for the electric cooperative and that Beneco has informed the town of the predicament two years ago.

The local government units (LGUs) were given options for Beneco to bill the town of 10 burning hours for electric consumption of the streetlights equivalent to 20 percent discount but the town has to handle the maintenance.

Another option, Beneco will bill the town for 12 burning hours and handle the task of streetlights maintenance but the costs of labor and materials will be paid by the LGU.

There are 8,701 streetlights in the City of Baguio and 1,878 in La Trinidad.

Beneco said they have yet to receive the copy of the complaint and will answer the charges once they receive the complaint.