Member-consumers of Benguet Electric Cooperative have approved the removal from office of the four board of directors (BODs) and their perpetual disqualification from becoming district representatives.
Participants of the Annual General Membership Assembly (AGMA) on Oct. 2 have approved the removal of Rocky Aliping, Enrique Moresto, James Aclopen, and Luke Gomeyac as Beneco directors and their disqualification from running for the same post and from being appointed to any office or employment with Beneco.
The move stemmed from a Sept. 15 resolution of member-consumers led by lawyers George Dumawing and Jose Molintas for the imposition of disciplinary measures against the four directors in relation to their actions in the appointment of Atty. Ana Maria Rafael as general manager.
The resolution said the act of Aliping, Moresto, Aclopen, and Gomeyac in entering into a performance management contract (PMC) with Rafael on Sept. 1 is a gross misrepresentation as they do not constitute the majority of the Beneco BOD.
The seven BODs, headed by president Esteban Somngi, signed a PMC with Licoben on Aug. 31.
The PMC with Rafael was submitted immediately to the National Electrification Administration ahead of the submission of the PMC, which the seven BODs signed with Licoben.
“The immediate submission was intended to preempt and defeat the submission of the PMC with Licoben. The act is without authority by way of a valid resolution and a gross misrepresentation. It is unprecedented and an utter defiance, disregard, disrespect, and betrayal to their oath of office,” the member-consumer resolution added.
Rafael was appointed by the NEA-Board of Administrators as general manager while Licoben was appointed by the Beneco BOD. Both parties continue to refuse to acknowledge the legitimacy of each other’s appointment.
During the AGMA, Somngi said the BOD, in one of their meetings, tackled the member-consumer resolution, but Gomeyac, Aliping, and Moresto asked to be excused from the proceedings. Aclopen was reportedly absent during the meeting.
Somngi said this is the reason the BOD decided to present the Sept. 15 resolution to the general assembly.
“The resolution was submitted to the BOD in one of our meetings to give (the four BODs) the opportunity to explain their side, but they walked out so we decided to throw this to the general assembly,” he said.
The Sept. 15 resolution prayed for the removal from office of the four BODs, their expulsion as member-consumers, and perpetual disqualification from running as district representatives.
Member-consumer Recto Alawas, however, asked that the general assembly approves only the four BODs’ removal from office and perpetual disqualification from running for the same post, since removing them as member-consumers would “strip them of their privilege to avail electricity from Beneco”, which would also adversely affect their respective families.
The AGMA participants also approved the filing of criminal complaints against the four BODs and Rafael for usurpation of authority, falsification of public documents, and perjury, among other offenses, and the filing of criminal complaints against the NEA-BOA for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The Oct. 2 AGMA pushed through despite the NEA’s suspension order against Somngi and BODs Peter Busaing, Jeffred Acop, Robert Valentine, Mike Maspil, Jonathan Obar, and Josephine Tuling, but the participants approved an omnibus motion that affirmed Somngi’s authority to preside over the AGMA, affirmed the authority of the six BODs to continue discharging their duties as BODs, and to ratify all the acts and decisions of the BOD, including the appointment of Licoben as Beneco GM.
Member-consumer Van Dicang made the motion, saying there was a need to “eliminate the cloud of doubt” on Somngi’s authority to preside over the AGMA because of NEA’s suspension order, which was served on Sept. 28, three days before the AGMA, and the designation of Atty. Omar Mayo as the project supervisor for Beneco.
Mayo has earlier issued an advisory, posted on another Beneco Facebook account, stating that the Oct. 2 AGMA will not push through. – Jane B. Cadalig
