DOJ dismisses PECO’s conspiracy complaint vs critics

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice has dismissed the conspiracy complaint filed by the Panay Electric Co. (PECO) against its critics who were against the renewal of its franchise.

PECO had filed charges of conspiracy and falsification of public documents against Former Iloilo City councilors Joshua Alim and Plaridel Nava II, Jane Javellana, and Dr. Marigold Gonzales.

The aforementioned supposedly falsified 27,000 signatures in a petition which became the basis for Congress’ non-renewal of the PECO’s franchise.

In a resolution by DOJ Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento, charges filed by PECO were “dismissed for utter lack of merit.”

“From the foregoing, it is clear as day that the respondents did not falsify any document,” the resolution read.

The case stemmed after a petition campaigned for PECO’s non-renewal of franchise because of its alleged poor and inefficient service.

But PECO insisted that the petition which had 27,000 signatures were falsified to favor another company.

“It’s pretty obvious from the very start that Mr. [Marcelo] Cacho of PECO has no legal basis in filing those cases against us. It was a harassment tactic just to get even with us after its franchise was not acted upon favorably by the Committee on Legislative Franchises in the Lower House,” Alim said in a statement.

JE