Duterte: Salazar, ERC execs on way out

DAVAO CITY, Philippines  – Suspended Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) chairman Jose Vicente Salazar and all the other commissioners of the ERC are on their way out, President Duterte declared yesterday during a doctors’ conference here.

“Salazar is now suspended but he will eventually be fired, all of them in the ERC, they have to go,” Duterte told participants to the Philippine Orthopedic Surgeons convention held at the SMX Convention Center at the SM Lanang Premiere.

The President said Salazar, who is facing various administrative charges, has been known for his alleged graft and corruption acts. ?Meanwhile, Malacañang has confirmed that Commissioner Alfredo Non has been designated as officer-in-charge (OIC) of the regulatory body following Salazar’s suspension and after four commissioners held a special commission meeting yesterday where he was nominated.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea told The STAR yesterday that Non was chosen as OIC, being the most senior among the ERC commissioners.

Medialdea stressed that the designation is only as OIC.

Non was among the commissioners who protested certain acts or directives of Salazar that were deemed to be lapses against what is supposed to be legal.

In an order dated May 2, Medialdea placed Salazar under preventive suspension for a period of 90 days effective immediately.

The suspension came after Salazar was also accused late last month of deceiving Malacañang by filing his travel authority and designating somebody else other than the one whose name he submitted as the ERC’s OIC while he was out.

Salazar is facing serious dishonesty, gross neglect of duty, grave misconduct, gross insubordination, violations of several laws including Republic Act 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act), RA 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), RA 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees), RA 10717 (General Appropriations Act), RA 9136 (Electric Power Industry Reform Act) and Executive Order 292 (Administrative Code of 1987).

Medialdea said that “examination of the records reveals that there exists a prima facie case against Salazar on the above-stated charges.”

Salazar was given 10 days to file his comment or written explanation with regard to the administrative charges.

If proven guilty of the charges, Salazar can be removed from office.

Medialdea said Salazar’s 90-day suspension is to prevent him from influencing the outcome of the investigation against him.

Salazar is in hot water after he was accused of anomaly by ERC director Francisco Jose Villa Jr. who committed suicide last year.