SEVERAL congressmen recently called for the termination of an ongoing congressional investigation involving the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) following the alleged suicide of ERC Director Jose Francisco Villa Jr.
House Minority Leader Danilo E. Suarez of the Third District of Quezon made the motion for the conclusion of the hearings on Monday, noting that the two committees may have already exhausted questions pertaining to the said suicide.
Suarez’s motion was backed by several other congressmen, including Deputy Speakers Gwendolyn F. Garcia of the Third District of Cebu and Party-list Reps. Sharon S. Garin of Aambis-OWA Harry L. Roque Jr. of Kabayan and Rodel Batocabe of Ako Bicol.
In calling for an end to the investigation, Suarez also noted that the amounts involved in the projects in question “are too small”, and that Congress should instead focus on “the sensitivity of the ERC as an institution.”
The hearings, being conducted jointly by the House of Representatives’s Committees on Energy, and on Good Government and Public Accountability, have centered on the possible role of ERC Chairman Jose Vicente Salazar regarding alleged pressure on Villa in connection with the procurement process for a P300,000 audio-visual project.
Salazar had denied exerting pressure on Villa, adding that he had personally handpicked the late ERC official to head the agency’s bids and awards committee (BAC).
The Commission on Audit (COA) had earlier cleared Salazar in connection with the said project. According to the COA report, no contract was signed and no government funds were released for the project.