A TOP official of the Department of Energy (DOE) clarified that the appointment of the Task Force Duterte Interim Board of Directors (BOD) of the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) is legal.

DOE Undersecretary Benito Ranque issued the clarification after some quarters questioned the legality of the appointment of the interim BOD.

Members of the interim BOD, who were recently appointed, are Jaime Voltaire Faustino, John Ibrahim, lawyer Carl Andrew Rubio, Steven Ryan Wee, Jaydrick Johnson Yap, Violeta Alejandro, and, Peter Garcia.

“Their appointment as board of director is legal. It is interim since it is temporary or short term. They are there to help find immediate solutions to the problem of Zamcelco. They will not stay with Zamcelco forever,” Ranque pointed out.

He said the appointment of the Task Force Duterte Interim BOD has the concurrence of Association of Mindanao Electric Cooperatives (Amreco).

He said the problem of Zamcelco now lies with these new board members and “if they cannot solve it they will be blamed by the consumers.”

Meanwhile, he said they were elated that Crown Investment Management Holdings has infused P2.5 billion to pay for the arrears of Zamcelco.

The DOE official advised Zamcelco to put up its own embedded generator sets saying it is cheaper since it will not use the transmission lines of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines.

Ranque the use of embedded generators is allowed under Republic Act 9136 otherwise known as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA). (SunStar Philippines)