Blame game in the energy sector

The Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) is a religious organization of about 3 million followers, some of whom are politicians, Cabinet officials, justices and judges, prosecutors, bureau directors, and high-ranking military and police officers.

The sect used to vote as a bloc during elections until the last election when a big chunk of its faithful—led by some members of the Manalo family whose patriarch, Felix Manalo, founded the church—separated from the church allegedly due to some differences over finances.

Until the national elections last year, the INC was a very powerful voting force feared by obsequious politicians.

Politicians who fell into disfavor with the INC were doomed in their political careers.

Wait for more legitimate commentaries about the INC in this column.

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The scuttlebutt going around within the energy sector that Energy Secretary Al Cusi is giving the privately owned National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) a hard time, which this column reported on May 25, has somewhat been confirmed.

Cusi and his subordinates, according to my sources, have been sending scathing and accusatory letters against the NGCP to Malacañang, the Department of Justice, the Department of Finance, Congress, the National Transmission Corp. and the Energy Regulatory Commission.

They blame NGCP for the high electricity rates because of high transmission rates, and for allegedly using government transmission towers without written consent from the government.

But sources in the energy sector say Cusi et al.’s accusations are without basis and a rehash of old and settled issues.

What gives?

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For posing as a lawyer and sister of the late Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, a woman was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation’s antiorganized and transnational crime division (AOTCD).

Myrna Rosales Velez, aka attorney Paula Dimpna Beatriz Defensor, was arrested by NBI agents within the premises of the NBI headquarters in Manila on Monday and charged with usurpation of authority for accepting clients when she’s not a lawyer.

Velez, according to AOTCD chief Demetrio Lalusis, also claimed she was legal consultant to Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre.

A complainant had said Velez received a total of P580,000 to represent her in court.

Velez had several unserved arrest warrants for illegal recruitment before she was arrested on Monday.