Napocor unions press for ouster of Alcordo

The three employees’ organizations of the National Power Corp. (Napocor) – the National Employees and Workers Union (NEWU), the Napocor Employees Consolidated Union (NECU) and the Executives Association EXA – are pushing for the ouster of Jesus N. Alcordo as president-on-leave of Napocor and consultant of the power firm’s vice chairman Vincent S. Perez.

Alcordo was earlier declared persona non grata by the three unions because of his alleged bias against the company he is supposed to serve. Despite this unprecedented move, the unions claimed, Alcordo continued to badmouth the state-run power company. The unions were particularly irked by the statement made by Alcordo in the media that he has "no funds for media war." The unions said that this is a malicious insinuation that they are buying the media and that the media can be bought. "Alcordo is supposed to be a responsible official and this statement proves otherwise," the unions said.

They accused Alcordo of being behind the disinformation campaign against Napocor and that he is doing this to cover up his own misdeeds: several pending cases before the Ombudsman, most notable of which is a plunder case involving the Binga Hydro Power Plant in Benguet Province.

The unions also plan to file charges against Alcordo before the Ombudsman. "Alcordo is clearly serving other masters. He cannot serve Napocor unless he resigns from companies in which Napocor has current dealings," the unions claimed.

"Alcordo is the founder and part owner of East Asia Power and Duracom. The Navotoas-Duracom tie line was constructed by East Asia Power as a project of Napocor and completed during the incumbency of Alcordo. Until now, the tie line construction has no certificate of acceptance (the Napocor specifications were not complied with) but was paid by Alcordo before he went on leave. This was made worse when, as president, Alcordo allowed the tapping of the tie line to the existing Napocor transmission line. In short, there were two favors extended to Alcordo by Alcordo, payment without acceptance certificate and tapping of an unaccepted tie line to the Napocor transmission line," the unions alleged.