MANILA, Philippines -- The government has no plans of wresting control of the country's biggest power distributor but will insist on the opening of the books of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) for the sake of transparency and accountability in its operations, Malacañang said Monday.

"We don't agree with a takeover, we only agree with the opening of books," Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said.

"Our support is not so much [for] the change in management. The support we believe is needed is towards transparency. The people want to know if what is charged them is justifiable. For example, why is the systems loss being passed on [to] the bills of the consumers?" Bunye added.

Bunye stressed that the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), being a stockholder of the firm and representative of the public, has the right to inspect Meralco's books.

"It is Meralco's duty to open its books to the public," he added.

Bunye also said reports that Meralco charges income tax from subscribers and the questionable inclusion of the system losses percentage are more reasons to examine the corporation's books of accounts.

"That some items that are not supposed to be charged are charged...are subject to verification," Bunye said.

He also denied allegations that the move is part of an alleged Malacañang vendetta against the Lopez family, which owns the power firm.

"We prefer not to be confrontational, idaan natin sa proseso [let us go through the process and] define our position in the Energy Regulatory Commission and...we don't need to make enemies when we don't need to. Gusto lang natin bumaba ang presyo ng elektrisidad [We just want electricity rates to go down]," Bunye added.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has also urged the business community to help resolve the electricity issue, Bunye said.

"The private sector has the legal capacity and the resources to really intervene in the hearing of the Energy Regulatory Commission," he said.

The government, through the Department of Trade and Industry, has a pending petition before the ERC for lower rates.Camille Diola, Contributor