Power co-ops urge Energy chief to resign

File photo
File photo

THE Philippine Electric Cooperatives Association, Inc. (Philreca) has passed a resolution urging Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso Cusi to resign for alleged abuse of power and position and other lapses.

Philreca also called on other ECs to pass a similar resolution declaring Cusi as persona non grata and urging him to resign immediately as DOE Secretary.

Philreca met with DOE officials Tuesday, March 19, at the Grand Regal Hotel, Davao City in a bid to resolve the issue. No details of the meeting were available as of Tuesday night.

In a board resolution after the January 2019 Board Meeting, the group claimed that Cusi is "abusing the powers of his office and for so many instances, has been overstepping on the powers granted to the National Electrification Administration (NEA).”

This after Cusi repeatedly refused the help offered by some legislators to restore the P635 million allocation that was scrapped from the NEA budget.

"[It] could significantly help the NEA and electric cooperative (ECs) in achieving PRRD's (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) marching order of total electrification by year 2020," the resolution read.

"On top of his refusal to restore the budget cut despite offers of help from legislators, Sec. Cusi even threatened the electric cooperatives that he will allow private for-profit to take over ECs franchises if they don't do their job," it further stated.

The group also claimed that Cusi deprived 17 ECs of due process by revoking their franchises without consultation through a recommendation in the House of Representatives on January 11.

"[He] clearly failed to recognize the success and gains of rural electrification and development," te read, adding that the ECs cannot be treated with justice and fairness while Cusi is still in power at the DOE.

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