Batangas electric coop seeks NEA intervention

LIPA CITY, Batangas — Around 200 managerial and rank and file employees of the Batangas Electric Cooperative II (BATELEC) who were presently staging a rally at their main office here since last week, are now seeking the intervention of National Electrification Authority in settling their differences against the coop’s Board of Directors.

Martha Marquez, Batelec’s Employees Association president said it would be fair enough if the NEA would take over the control of the coop until the "encroaching activities" of the Board of Directors in the day-to-day management operation would stop.

"The Board of Directors is just a part of policy making body and should not meddle in the operation of the cooperative," Marquez told The Star.

The conflict stemmed when the Board allegedly started meddling with the day-to-day operation and ordered a reshuffle of assignments among the area and unit managers said, Batelec’s Acting General Manager Marilyn Caguimbal.

"Actually we’re willing to follow with their decision in reshuffling the managers but some of the members are unfair since they take "favorites" among their allied managers," Caguimbal said.

"Yung isang director ayaw pumayag sa pagdadalhan ng kanyang kaibigang manager kaya ginawan ng paraan para malipat sa gusto niya, unfair naman yon," Marquez said, adding that it’s better not to have a reshuffle if there will be a "palakasan system."

"We think that they’re (directors) getting vindictive from the time NEA removed them as Board of Directors," Marquez said.

On Oct. 6, the NEA administration has sacked 12 directors of Batelec, the country’s largest electric cooperative, for alleged gross mismanagement and corruption.

In a 43-page decision made by NEA chairman Raphael Lotilla and members Wilfred Billena, Jose Victor Lobrigo and Editha Buena, they ordered the removal of Reynaldo Panaligan, Isagani Casalme, Ruben Calinisan, Cesario Gutierrez, Gerardo Hernandez, Celso Landicho, Tita Matulin, Ireneo Montecer, Tirso Ramos, Jose Rizal Remo, Cipriano Roxas and Eduardo Tagle from the Board of Directors of Batelec II

The NEA’s order stemmed from the administrative case filed against the 12 directors by members and consumers of Batelec II represented by lawyer Erwin Layog, over an alleged anomalous computerization project and procurement of 10 boom trucks.

In their affidavits, the complainant said Batelec II incurred net losses amounting to P63.9-million in 2003 and 2004 respectively, and accumulated arrears from power suppliers totaling more than P200-million.

However, they were able to acquire a 60-day temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Court of Appeals Second Division signed by Associate Justice Mariano Del Castillo, concurred by Associate Justices Conrado Vasquez Jr. and Santiago Javier Ranada. The second divison ordered the NEA and their representatives to cease and desist from enforcing the Oct. 5, 2006 decision in removing the 12 directors from Batelec.