For electrical disconnection: Consumer sues VECO

CEBU, Philippines - The Visayan Electric Company (VECO) is facing a civil case for allegedly disconnecting the electrical connection in the house of a certain Ellen Gilieron.Gilieron, a resident of New Frontier Village, Bulacao, Talisay City, alleged that VECO’s disconnection of her electrical connection was unlawful.

In the civil case for injunction with damages that she filed before the court, Gilieron said VECO violated her rights as a customer.

“The precipitate act of defendant VECO in disconnecting the electrical connection from plaintiff’s main house was arbitrary, capricious, whimsical, immoral and illegal, aside from being inhuman, which violated the legal rights of the plaintiff as a good-paying consumer,” the complaint reads.

Gilieron alleged that on November 29, 2011, VECO cut the electrical connection of her residence, to her damage and prejudice.

She asked the court for the issuance of a writ of mandatory injunction and to direct the VECO to restore her electrical connection.

She also asked the court to stop VECO from collecting the differential billing in the amount of P363,488. 25

On September 6, 2011, VECO representatives, accompanied by a security guard, went to Gilieron’s house to check their electricity meter.

During the inspection, VECO representatives found out that the seal of the meter was missing. They removed the old meter and installed a new one.

VECO then informed Gilieron that the old meter was subject for testing before the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

The ERC technician said the meter was running slow and could be defective.

On November 2011, Gilieron said she was informed by her family members that there was a demand letter asking them to settle the huge bill amounting to P363,488.25 representing differential billing, 25 percent surcharge and inspection cost.

She was likewise, threatened of criminal prosecution for violating the Anti-Electricity and Electric Lines/Materials Pilferage Act.

The demand letter was sent when Gilieron was already in the United States of America (USA). 

Gilieron said that before the inspection, her bills normally range from P200 to P896 a month.

However, in September 2011, when VECO inspected her electric meter, her billings went up and ranged from P4,000 to P11,134 representing the month of September to November.

“The differential billing is completely devoid of any factual and legal basis considering defendant Veco through its duly authorized meter reader had been reading the electrical meter of the plaintiff on a monthly basis since October 2006,” she said.

She added that it was impossible for the meter reader not to notice the abnormal condition of her meter since they have inspected the same for five years already.

Because of the damages she suffered, Gilieron asked VECO to pay her for nominal damages worth P300,000; exemplary damages for P200,000; attorney’s fees for P100,000 and litigation expenses for P50,000. — Mylen P. Manto/MIT (THE FREEMAN)