BACOLOD CITY: The acting general manager (GM) of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) insisted that they followed the mandated process in the signing of its joint venture agreement (JVA) with Primelectric Holdings Inc. (PHI).Lawyer Arnel Lapore said the signing of the JVA 'has the guidance and blessings of the National Electrification Administration (NEA).''The NEA is our boss in terms of our administrative and legal operations,' the acting GM said.'The JVA is something that has to be decided by the Ceneco general membership, which is even more demanding because you need the majority vote of all the members,' Lapore added.The Anti-Joint Venture Coalition on Thursday, June 8, warned Ceneco and PHI of legal action.'We are serving them notice today that if they do not desist from continuing a path that endorses the joint venture agreement despite its being clearly baseless and contrary to law, then we will be compelled to file charges against them,' Aaron Pedrosa, Sanlakas secretary general, said.'We will sue them not only to stop this nonsense, but also to hold them administratively accountable,' he said, adding that they are also exploring the filing of a criminal case, lawyer Luke Espiritu, Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino president and counsel for the Responsible Supervisory and Confidential Union of Employees, said.Espiritu said the JVA 'is null and void because Yap as board president has no authority to sign the JVA.''It's a criminal act,' he added.However, there is nothing in the Ceneco constitution that prohibits the participation of a private firm in Ceneco through a joint venture agreement, Lapore said.Only 70 percent of the distribution assets of Ceneco could be taken over by PHI, which they deem important to serve the consumers, he said.'The main objective is to give the best service we could give to our consumers,' Lapore said.'Ceneco needs to be modernized, especially since Bacolod is advancing so fast...we have to think of the greater number of people who wish to have better service,' he added.He said they are ready to face the charges to be filed by those opposing the JVA.The JVA was signed by Ceneco President Jojit Yap and PHI President and Chief Executive Officer Roel Castro on July 3 and will be subjected to a plebiscite scheduled on June 24 and 25 and July 1 and 2.Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Stephen Paduano warned that he will oppose the franchise renewal of Ceneco in Congress should it fail to form a joint venture with a financially capable private distribution utility (DU).'I will not allow Ceneco consumers to continuously suffer for another 25 years of inefficient service and unreliable power supply,' Paduano said in a statement.'The franchise of Ceneco will expire in 2030. The processing of the renewal of the franchise in Congress should start in 2025. Let's be frank, I have already spoken. I will oppose it. I can't take it anymore. Do we want to continue to suffer? For the past several years and even decades that have been proven. The current situation of Ceneco is hopeless,' he added.The Negrense lawmaker said that Ceneco 'is bleeding and lacks the financial resources to improve its services in the coming years or before applying for franchise renewal.''They cannot develop because their application for Capex (capital expenditure) with the ERC (Energy Regulatory Commission) has been turned down. Second, where can you find DU that is subsidized at P20 million a month? How can you rehabilitate, how can you develop?' he asked.'If the consumers support and ratify the signed JVA, I will even sponsor its franchise renewal in Congress,' Paduano said.
