AN opposition legislator sought on Monday an investigation into the activities of an alleged “mafia” at the National Power Corp. (Napocor) that has caused burden to the people.

In a privileged speech, Nacionalista Rep. Teofisto Guingona III of Bukidnon said that the alleged mafia operating in the Napocor is the one behind the proposed amendments to the six-year-old Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) which provides, among others, the lowering of the threshold for open access from 70 percent to 50 percent.

This means that instead of 70 percent, only 50 pecent of all the total generating assets of Napocor will be sold.

“Ngayon gusto nila amyendahan ang Epira sa pamamagitan ng pagbaba ng kondisyon ng privatization—mula 70 percent magiging 50 percent. Hindi iyan ang solusyon sa problema.

“Ang solusyon ay nasa pagpapatupad ng Epira. Ayon sa Epira, kailangang mai-privatize ang 70 percent ng mga planta na pagmamay-ari o kontrolado ng Drakulang Nakupo [Napocor]!” Guingona lamented.

He said that Napocor has continued to be the milking cow of those operating as mafia who are allegedly getting millions of kickbacks from contracts with independent power producers since 1996.

Guingona earlier exposed the alleged price-fixing scandal at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (Wesm), which operators are also members of the so-called “Napocor mafia.”

“Ito ay hindi kwentong kutsero lamang. Mayroong totoong pangyayari noong Agosto 2006.  Para sa inyong kaalaman, mayroong totong palengke ng kuryente, ang tawag dito ay Wesm. . . .Doon sa Wesm, iisa lang ang ibinebenta—kuryente, at ang mga nagbebenta ay ang mga planta na gumagawa ng kuryente.”

According to Guingona, there is indeed no competition in the Wesm because of the prevailing manipulation by the Napocor, which is the dominant source of  power being peddled to the Wesm.

The 70-percent to 80-percent source of power supply being sold by the Napocor all over the country, according to Guingona, may have enticed the mafia in the power sector to manipulate prices.

The move by the “Napocor mafia” to control the power supply would also be among the major reasons as to why they are preventing the privatization of Napocor.

Guingona said it has been more than four years since the Epira was enacted and yet the Napocor has managed to sell only 3 percent of its power assets.

The Epira was created to remove the monopoly in the power sector so as to make the prices of power more competitive.

Solon seeks probe of Napocor ‘mafia’

AN opposition legislator sought on Monday an investigation into the activities of an alleged “mafia” at the National Power Corp. (Napocor) that has caused burden to the people.

CLAIMING police investigators have tortured them, the three suspects accused in the November 13 Batasan bombing, where five people, including Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar, were killed, recanted their earlier affidavits admitting participation in the crime.

LUCENA CITY—Gov. Rafael Nantes of Quezon disclosed on Monday that the four congressmen of the province have agreed to indefinitely postpone the plebiscite on the law that divides the province into two—Quezon del Norte and Quezon del Sur.

RIGHTS group Ecpat Philippines is testing the waters on how far it can inject its ideals upon some start-up Internet café owners in the country to prevent online prostitution and trafficking involving children.

THE farmers who walked all the way from Sumilao, Bukidnon, to Manila, resumed their “Walk for Justice” march on Monday to demand the cancellation of a controversial land conversion order and the subsequent coverage of a 144-hectare property owned by San Miguel Foods Inc. in the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

TWO battalions of soldiers will be deployed in the vicinity of the Makati City Hall, as well as the roads around the area, to augment some 260 police personnel who were tasked to secure the venue of the trial of Magdalo soldiers at Branch 148 of the Regional Trial Court in Makati.

THE National Police chief, Director General Avelino Razon Jr. on Monday ordered all police offices to stop the practice of “one day duty, one day off” or similar style of duty arrangement for its uniformed personnel which he finds impractical and detrimental to the effective delivery of basic police services.

Malacañang said on Monday that President Arroyo’s successful bid to save domestic worker Marilou Ranario from execution in Kuwait not only validated the “sincerity” of her efforts to promote the welfare of Filipino migrant workers but also affirmed her “high standing” in the community of leaders.