Palace hoping SC ruling will be in consumers’ favor

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang expects the Supreme Court to hand down a ruling that will “redound to the best interests” of 5.3 million customers in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).

“Resolution of the issue by the highest tribunal will hopefully redound to the best interests of the citizens who are the most vital stakeholders in the interpretation and implementation of the laws of the land,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said when contacted by phone on Tuesday.

Coloma was reacting to the high court order on Monday stopping for two months the imposition of higher power rates, particularly P4.15 per kilowatt hour (kWh) starting this month, while it hears the arguments of Meralco, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and petitioners.

Court’s TRO

The high court issued the temporary restraining order (TRO) when it acted on two petitions brought a day apart last week by members of the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives and three consumer groups.

The tribunal also scheduled oral arguments to give all parties to the case a chance to either defend the increase or justify opposition to it.

Coloma declined to comment when asked by the Inquirer whether the TRO was a Christmas gift of sorts to the public.

Coloma said the Aquino administration was “focused on eventual outcome rather than on temporary relief given by the TRO.”

The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) will be the one arguing for the ERC, said Coloma.

“Anything I will say would be construed as part of the government response, which will not be accurate since the OSG has yet to file an answer. So we can only comment on the case itself as a whole and the outcome (later on),” said the secretary.

“The official position of the government will be articulated by the OSG, so I can’t make any comment on the TRO,” he added.

Secretary Edwin Lacierda, another Palace spokesperson, said as much.

Final arbiter

“The Supreme Court has always been the final arbiter of any case brought before it especially when the issue is of national importance. We wait for the Supreme Court to rule with finality the power rate hike,” said Lacierda in a text message.

Asked whether the Aquino administration would support the petitions against the power rate increase, Coloma said:

“By law, the Office of the Solicitor General will represent the ERC, a regulatory body of the government before the Supreme Court.”

But to protect consumers, he said the  Department of Justice and Department of Energy’s investigations into “allegations of collusion may continue as the TRO pertains only to Meralco’s power rate hike.”

“We reiterate government’s determination to protect the citizens’ welfare and prevent abuse of market power,” said Coloma.