Members and consumers of the Benguet Electric Cooperative have stepped in to the ruckus besetting the distribution utility and objected to the National Electrification Administration’s designation of a project supervisor.
The NEA-Board of Administrators issued a 90-day preventive suspension order against Beneco General Manager Melchor Licoben and seven members of the board of directors for their failure to recognize the appointment of Atty. Ana Maria Paz Rafael as the general manager.
Atty. Omar Mayo from NEA’s Legal Services Office served the suspension order on Sept. 28, a document which he posted at the entrance of Beneco headquarters along South Drive, as the order was not received by any Beneco official or employee.
The suspension order against Licoben, BOD president Esteban Somngi, and directors Jeffred Acop, Mike Maspil, Peter Busaing, Jonathan Obar, Josephine Tuling, and Robert Valentin also designated Mayo as Beneco project supervisor.
Among other things, Mayo was ordered to address the ongoing standoff on Beneco leadership and organizational management issues and concerns.
Members and consumers from Baguio and Benguet, however, came to the defense of the seven directors and Licoben and expressed their objection to the designation of a project supervisor.
In a document that declared the NEA-BOA and Mayo persona non grata, the member-consumers said the designation of a project supervisor is unavailing as Beneco is not an ailing cooperative and not in a state that would warrant state intervention, among other reasons.
Other members and consumers took to social media their support to Licoben and to the seven BODs by sharing their posters on Facebook, while others are keeping vigil at the Beneco office along South Drive.
The BOD, through Somngi, also opposed Mayo’s designation as Beneco project supervisor, saying the same is not justified as Beneco is not an ailing entity.
In his letter to Department of Energy Usec. Emannuel Juaneza, who acts as alternate chair of the NEA-BOA, Somngi said the BOD affirms its respect for NEA-BOA in the exercise of its supervisory function over electric coops, but added, “We resist any act of overreach and violation of the rights of member-consumers whom we represent.”
Somngi said the BOA has no authority to issue a suspension order against Licoben and the seven BODs, because based on procedures, it should have been the NEA Administrative Committee, not BOA, that should have issued the suspension order, if such is justified.
The preventive suspension stemmed from the administrative case filed by Rafael against the seven BODs and Licoben for their refusal to abide by NEA-BOA Resolution 2021-71 that named her as GM.
The NEA-BOA granted Rafael’s prayer to suspend Licoben and the seven BODs pending the investigation of her complaint and prevent the respondents from influencing the results of the investigation.
In an interview on Sept. 28, Mayo said he, as the project supervisor, and the four BODs who are not suspended can do business as the four constitute the majority.
He added he would respect the right of the seven BODs to challenge his designation as a project supervisor, but until a court order is issued against his designation, he said he would perform his responsibilities.
Mayo was not allowed entry to the Beneco office as it was locked down for sanitation and disinfection in view of the high number of employees who contracted the Covid-19.
His designation as project supervisor came as Beneco was set to hold the conduct of an annual general membership assembly virtually on Oct. 2.
Among the agenda are the ratification of the Articles of Cooperation and By-Laws and approval of the collection of share contribution in relation to Beneco’s conversion to a stock coop under the Cooperative Development Authority. – Jane B. Cadalig
