MALACAÑANG will not allow at least P95 billion in debts owed to the government by energy companies to remain uncollected, its spokesman said ahead of this week’s hearing on the matter at the House of Representatives.
“Basta may utang sa gobyerno, sisingilin natin — kahit sinong may utang, malaking tao o hindi malaking tao, malapit or hindi,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said in a radio interview on Sunday.
(We will collect whatever is owed to the government — whoever owes it, whether a prominent person, or close to the administration.)
He was referring to the billions of pesos owed by various entities in the energy sector to the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM). He said how President Rodrigo R. Duterte deals with these matters is common knowledge.
“Apat na taon na ang Presidente… dapat kilalang kilala niyo ugali niya (The President has been in office for four years.. you should know his personality by now),” he said.
Last month, the House Committee on Public Accounts and the House Committee Good Governance and Public Accountability revealed that various power firms still owe PSALM P95.3 billion. Both committees want the debts to be settled before PSALM’s corporate life ends by 2026.
According to Republic Act No. 9136 or the “Electric Power Industry Reform Act”, the residual debts of PSALM will be transferred to the national government if the agency does not liquidate them before 2026.
Both House committees probing the unsettled debts said the uncollected amount would be a burden to consumers as it might be reflected in their electricity bill to pay off the obligations.
Last week, the committees issued a subpoena to Solicitor General Jose C. Calida to appear before them in a March 11 hearing on the matter.
Mr. Calida did not show up in the earlier hearings and had filed a motion for leave to intervene in dealing with the cases involving the debts of Manila Electric Co. and First Gen Hydro Power Corp. at P14.90 billion and P315.42 million, respectively. — Gillian Cortez
