By KIMBERLIE QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Over 1,800 members of the League of Association at the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post Area. Inc. signed a manifesto calling on President Rodrigo Duterte to recall the National Electrification Administration’s (NEA) appointment of Atty. Ana Maria Rafael. The group blames her for the trouble in the Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco).

“It is our earnest prayer to your excellency for your intervention: please recall the NEA appointment of Atty. Marie Rafael and put an end to this disorder and unnecessary unrest she stirred in our peaceful province,” said the manifesto.
Farmers, traders, truckers, disposers, and vendors at the La Trinidad vegetable trading post comprise the group’s membership.

They also condemned NEA’s attempts to take over Beneco’s management, especially the forcible takeover of the main office along South Drive in Baguio City on October 18. NEA Project Supervisor for Beneco Atty. Omar Mayo entered the compound with assistance from fully armed troops from the 2nd Regional Mobile Force Battalion of the Police Regional Office Cordillera (PROCOR).

The petitioners also criticized the destruction of Beneco property and the barring of employees from reporting for work during the takeover. They also raised concern over the withdrawal of P1 million from Beneco’s Philippine National Bank account by the Rafael camp.

“We, the stakeholders of the local vegetable industry, denounce all the undignified activities of Atty. Marie Rafael and Atty. Omar Mayo in their numerous attempts to forcefully take over our Benguet Electric cooperative (Beneco) despite the members-consumers-owners clamor to respect our decision that Engineer Melchor Licoben is the qualified, rightful general manager,” the manifesto said.

“Their actions clearly insults and disrespects our Benguet culture of peace, love and respect,” the manifesto further stated.
The group’s spokesperson, Agot Balanoy, said their members are also member-consumer-owners (MCO) adversely affected by the power struggle in Beneco.

She pointed out that the October 18 NEA and Rafael takeover of Beneco main office came right after Typhoon Maring ravaged the province leaving power lines cut. She reiterated that the seizure caused delays in power restorations which they have not experienced in the past.

According to Balanoy, Benguet always experiences weather disturbances resulting in power interruptions, but Beneco has efficiently restored power. “But the recent power outages due to the destruction brought by Typhoon Maring, power restoration was delayed because of the takeover,” she said.

“Our farmer-members in Bakun told us they had to wash radish at night in candle light because the power was not immediately restored and they were racing with time so they could sell their produce while the prices were favorable,” Balanoy added.

She also said that their members at the La Trinidad vegetable trading post complained about their bill payment. She explained that those who paid during the two days (October 18 and 19) that Mayo and Rafael took over the South Drive office are still unsure if their payments were credited. She added that members also have confusion about where to pay their bills because the Rafael camp is advertising for consumers to pay only at their specified collection areas.

Heed the people’s plea

Members of the Benguet Provincial Board, during their November 3 session, appealed to Rafael and NEA to respect the clamor of the people of Baguio and Benguet for Licoben to remain as Beneco general manager.

Rafael and Mayo were invited to the Board session to explain their side. The body has pending persona non grata (PNG) resolutions against them concerning the October 18 incident. The legislators passed the resolution, with 13 voting in favor and one member abstaining.

Florencio Bentrez appealed to Rafael and NEA to heed the sentiments of the MCOs and local governments of Baguio and Benguet, who support Licoben. He pointed out that officials of all the 13 towns of Benguet backed Licoben for the general manager’s post.

The proponent of the resolution declaring Mayo persona non grata in Benguet, Juan Nazaro, Jr., advised Rafael to yield to Licoben and respect the clamor of the people of Baguio and Benguet. “The people of Benguet have spoken through petitions, for us to respect the present Beneco management, but it seems, you are disregarding the people’s clamor,” he reiterated.
He added that if Rafael only wants to work as she claimed, she can always work as a lawyer. He said that lawyers can always find work anywhere.

The board member likened Rafael’s actions to a child, snatching the “lollipop” of another child. He stressed that Licoben was already working as general manager when she came to impose her NEA appointment.

Recto Alawas asked Rafael to make the “ultimate sacrifice” and give up on the Beneco general manager position considering the overwhelming sentiments of MCOs against her. “Do you think you will be happy working in Beneco with the employees and most of the MCOs see you as an unwelcome manager, ma’m?” he asked.

Even Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong earlier asked Rafael to back down and inform NEA “that she is no longer interested in the position.”

“Atty. Rafael should be realistic and accept the fact that she cannot really take over the management of BENECO. Her backers should also know the real situation and accept that they do not have the capacity and moral ascendancy to takeover the industry,” Magalong said.

Senate inquiry

As the Beneco power struggle gets more charged, Senators Leila De Lima and Sherwin Gatchalian are urging a senate inquiry on the matter.

According to De Lima, there is a need to determine whether NEA’s October 18 forced takeover of Beneco is “valid and legal under our relevant laws.”

“NEA’s mandate should be reviewed to ascertain whether it exceeded its authority in taking over BENECO in spite of the absence of any indication that the latter is an ailing cooperative,” she added.

Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Energy, is preparing to file a Senate Resolution on the matter.
According to Gatchalian, an internal analysis of the Beneco mess showed that NEA did not follow its own Memorandum 2017-035, the revised policy on selecting GMs of electric cooperatives. He said NEA’s memorandum allows Beneco’s board to choose the general manager. NEA can only step in if the directors of the cooperative reject all pre-qualified applicants.

“We don’t want NEA, the supervisor of all ECs, to be imposing people over a well-run, functioning coop and that is not the intention of the law. The intention of the law is for the ECs to govern themselves and NEA will just step in during problematic times, if it’s badly managed or if it’s an ailing coop,” he further said.

The House Committee on Energy declared in September that NEA acted beyond its authority in appointing Rafael. It also noted NEA’s lapses and irregularities in the selection process.