Gatchalian urges Malacañang to appoint acting commissioners at ERC

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian. MARC JAYSON CAYABYAB/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has urged Malacañang to appoint acting commissioners at the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

This, after the Office of the Ombudsman suspended four of the agency’s commissioners, Gloria Victoria Yap-Taruc, Alfredo Non, Josefina Patricia Magpala-Asirit and Geronimo Sta. Ana, for alleged anomalous transactions involving Manila Electric Company (Meralco).

They were ordered suspended for one year without pay due to “conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service aggravated by simple misconduct and neglect of duty.”

READ: Ombudsman suspends all 4 ERC commissioners for one year

“I’m urging Malacanang to appoint Acting Commissioners to perform the duties of the suspended Commissioners as soon as possible,” Gatchalian, chair of the Senate committee on energy, said in a statement on Saturday.

Gatchalian said the total value of all pending applications for approval of the ERC is at P1.5 trillion.

The senator warned that ERC operations could come to a standstill with the absence of the commissioners, explaining that the agency is composed of one chairperson and four commissioners.

The ERC would be rendered “powerless” in making decisions “critical” to the energy sector with the absence of the four commissioners, the senator said.

“Delikado yan lalo na ngayon, maraming nakabinbin na kontrata at pinag-aaralang mabuti kaya may konting kabagalan,” Gatchalian said over radio DWIZ.

(It’s very critical especially now that there are many contracts which are pending and being studied carefully; that’s why it’s a bit slow.)

“Kung makukulangan pa sila ng commissioner, talagang maapektuhan ang trabaho (If they are missing a commissioner, the work will really be affected),” the senator said in the radio interview. /je