Solon raps Meralco over power blackout threat

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–A lawmaker and petitioner against the power rate hike hit the Manila Electric Co.(Meralco)  for saying the Supreme Court’s temporary restraining order (TRO) would result in power blackouts.

Bayan Muna party-list representative Neri Colmenares at a press briefing Wednesday criticized Meralco for blaming the TRO, calling their counsel’s defense nothing more but a threat.

Meralco’s counsel Victor Lazatin told the high court in Tuesday’s oral arguments that the TRO will stop the delivery of fuel to power generation companies and these would then stop delivering power. The high court issued a TRO on the proposed hike over public outcry.

“Meralco admitted Tuesday that the reason for the brownout is the TRO because they could not ask payment from consumers,” Colmenares said in Filipino.

“They could not pay the generation companies and these could not provide the electricity,” he added.

Colmenares said Meralco better not push through with their “threat” because “the people will not accept brown-out for commercial reasons.”

Colmenares also said that Meralco is only concerned about money and not supply.

“So, pera-pera lang pala ito, hindi question ng supply (This is an issue about money, not about supply),” he said.

Meralco was accused of colluding with power players to jack up prices amid a power shortfall.

RELATED STORIES

Palace opposes lifting of TRO on power rate hike

Meralco asks SC: Lift TRO on rate increase

Meralco asks SC to lift TRO