A SIX-MONTH preventive suspension has been issued by the Office of the Ombudsman against Energy Regulatory Commission chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta.
The office of Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin was furnished a copy of the order “for immediate implementation.”
Sought for comment, Dimalanta said, “We have not received a copy of the order so we cannot comment at this time.”
The five-page directive was signed by Ombudsman Samuel Martires on August 27 but was released to reporters only yesterday.
The order was based on an administrative complaint filed by the National Association of Electric Consumers for Reforms Inc. (Nasecore) alleging dilatory action by the respondent on Manila Electric Company’s (Meralco) application for the approval of the annual revenue requirement and performance incentive scheme filed with the ERC on March 16, 2022.
Nasecore said the pre-trial conference on Meralco’s application was only set on Sept. 2, 2022 while the presentation of evidence was calendared for Sept. 16, 2022. However, the process did not move for the next 609 days until the pre-trial order was issued on May 3, 2024.
The complainant said the ERC chief is the only one at fault being the sole authority who can issue the pre-trial order.
In addition, due to the lengthy delay in proceedings without being resolved, the ERC failed to recalculate the Meralco rates, which is a function of the commission that protects the interest of the public.
In placing Dimalanta under preventive suspension, the Ombudsman upheld Nasecore’s assertion that there was strong evidence against the ERC chief on the charges of grave misconduct, grave abuse of authority, gross neglect of duty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
“The evidence on record shows the guilt of respondent Dimalanta is strong… which may warrant her removal from the service; her continued stay in office may prejudice the case filed against her; and to prevent her from further committing malfeasance and/or misfeasance in office, she is hereby placed under preventive suspension,” the Ombudsman said.
