Coal power firm behind Ileco III ‘demolition campaign’?
What was the participation of a power generation company executive in the privilege speech delivered by provincial board member Jett Rojas in last Tuesday’s session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan?
This was the question raised by Iloilo provincial administrator Manuel “Boy” Mejorada upon learning that Rojas had asked Engr. Gil Altamira, commercial business manager of Global Business Power Corp., to review his privilege speech prior to its delivery.
At the same time, Mejorada said Rojas betrayed his ignorance about the facts surrounding the power supply agreement signed by the Iloilo Electric Cooperative III (Ileco III) to buy electricity from Applied Research Technologies of the Philippines (Artech), Inc.
“From what I have gathered, Mr. Altamira supplied certain figures that board member Rojas used to denounce a supposedly anomalous contract with Artech,” Mejorada said.
As a result of this, Rojas was made “an unwitting tool to disseminate false information,” he said.
In his speech, Rojas questioned why Ileco III choose Artech over Altamira’s employer, Global Business Power Corp., which he said made an offer of only P3.98 per kilowatt hour.
Mejorada said this is not true.
Mejorada showed reporters the minutes of a meeting held by the Panay-Guimaras consortium of electric cooperatives on Oct. 1, 2008 in which Global and DMCI made a presentation of its offer.
“As recorded in the minutes, the Global-DMCI offer was P7.36 per kilowatt hour, and not P3.98 per kilowatt hour as what board member Rojas claimed,” he said.
Based on this information, Global’s offer is even higher than the P6.64 per kilowatt hour proposed by Artech for the first three years of the contract when it will use a diesel-fueled plant to generate the power requirements of Ileco III, he said.
Mejorada said Rojas had also distorted the truth when he said that this rate will be applicable for the entire duration of the contract.
“The contract states that after the third year, Artech will sell power to Ileco III at a rate of P5.90 per kilowatt hour because by then, its biomass-technology power plant will have become operational,” he said.
4 Comments
May 14, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Sh%$# even I could not believe I was fooled at first! If words could kill, the governor and the board of directors had been dead for the nth time. Looks like the PR antics of talibmuti and LF worked in the beginning. How far did these two propaganda harlots think such blatant lies would go? Yes, the truth is starting to unfold. And surprise to Flo and Lem, their grand script is not doing any good to Gil Altamira, Raul Banas or Ferj Biron. The interest of the 3 stooges has been exposed. Gil for global, Raul for DMCI and Ferja for the downfall of the governor. And they all would have wanted us to believe they were just concerned citizens. I’m just wondering where does Dagol Salcedo come in? From some reliable sources, he’s been lambasting Tali Salcedo as well, but only when the former is not around. It seems his connection with VG Rolex the Great is still strong. The wife must have been that influential. Harharhar. Only one board of director supported the recanted statement of Baldoza, it was Arandilla who happens to be the errand boy of ferja. Naman, don’t take us for fools!
Pity you two paidhacks! The money given to you by Ferja was not even put to good use. Stupidity perhaps? Let’s ask BM Jett Rojas.
May 16, 2009 at 2:50 am
Ferj Biron is desperate. He needs to stop the rising wave of discontent and anger in the 4th district from becoming a tsunami that would expel him from congress. He knows Gov. Tupas is gaining strong public support for his plan to seek the congressional seat. He will concoct every possible lie to destroy the image of Gov. Tupas. But the constituency of the 4th district will not fall for the subterfuge being employed by his PR boys.
May 19, 2009 at 12:17 am
By Francis Allan L. Angelo
ILOILO Provincial Administrator Manuel Mejorada admitted he helped arrange the meeting between a Sangguniang Panlalawigan member and the contractor of the controversial P350-million convention center project.
But Mejorada said he had no personal knowledge about the alleged bribe offered by a certain Cedrick Lee to board members Mariano Malones Sr., June Mondejar and Jett Rojas during a meeting at the Promenade Restaurant January 27.
Mejorada said he called Malones asking if the latter is available for a meeting with Lee at the said restaurant.
Mejorada said Malones accepted the invitation and asked if he can bring along Mondejar and Rojas.
“I only invited board member Malones but I was not present in the meeting,” Mejorada said over Aksyon Radyo Tuesday morning.
Rojas was the first to confirm the meeting and the P300,000 Lee allegedly offered to the three board members.
Rojas said the money was in consideration for their support to re-endorse the convention center project in the SP.
Mejorada said he had no knowledge about the alleged bribery “and I would have disapproved any attempt to bribe the board members if the allegation is true.”
“If that is true, I could have discouraged Cedrick Lee because it will only become an issue against Governor Niel Tupas. And as we can see now, the issue is being used to malign the governor,” Mejorada said.
The mediaman-turned-capitol official said Tupas did not “bless” the Promenade meeting even if the proposed convention center was the governor’s pet project.
“Board member Mondejar supports the project. Will the votes of board members Rojas and Malones enough to push the project forward at the provincial board?” Mejorada said.
As regards the pronouncement of Vice Governor Rolex Suplico that the project is dead, Mejorada said the SP missed the chance to implement a project that will help stave off the effects of the global economic crisis.
Meanwhile, Suplico said he will ask the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate the alleged bribery attempt on the three board members.
Suplico said he will write the NBI next week to request a formal investigation on the issue.
May 19, 2009 at 2:39 am
As you can see, the Biron/Global PR machinery isn’t sleeping. It will now seek to demolish my own credibility. But I am confident the truth will emerge. I wish the Biron/Global PR machinery will stick to the issues I raised. Better yet, Engr. Adrian Moncada should explain to the people its rates, especially that it is charging PECO P8.50 per kwh from its diesel plant while a smaller company like Artech is charging only P6.63 per kwh to Capelco.