‘Napocor-Meralco deal will result in power rate hike’
By Edu Punay (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines – The Court of Appeals (CA) ruling upholding the legality of the P14-billion agreement between the National Power Corp. (Napocor) and the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) will be harmful to consumers who carry the burden of any increase in power rates.

It was on this premise that Associate Justice Japar Dimaampao cast a dissenting vote in the decision of the special division of the appellate court that gave the go-signal for the implementation of the deal, which is expected to cost Meralco costumers an additional 12 centavos per kilowatt-hour over five to six years.

In his nine-page dissenting opinion, Dimaampao favored the bid of the government through the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to stop the Pasig City regional trial court from implementing its order affirming the validity of the settlement claim that was forged in 2003 and in further proceeding in connection with Meralco’s civil suit.

Dimaampao penned last February a resolution, which issued a writ of preliminary injunction, indefinitely enjoining the implementation of the settlement.

Dimaampao said in his dissent that “with all due respect, the thesis taken by the majority is fallacious. In a word, I cannot turn a blind eye to the manifest glitch in the majority ruling.

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