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PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte late Friday defended his energy secretary, Alfredo G. Cusi, after the Senate transmitted a resolution to the Office of the Ombudsman recommending the filing of charges against him over the Malampaya Gas Field deal.

“I view with grave concern an apparent effort at the Senate to put in bad light recent developments involving the Malampaya Gas Field. This casts undue, undeserved, and unwarranted aspersion on the part of some of our key government officials,” Mr. Duterte said in a statement released on Friday night.

“Let me reiterate: Energy Secretary Cusi has my full trust and confidence and shall remain at the helm of the department he heads,” he added.

The Malampaya deep-water gas-to-power project centers around the Philippines’ lone natural gas field and it supplies as much as 20% of the country’s energy requirements.

Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Energy committee and led hearings that reviewed the technical, financial, and legal aspects of the Shell Petroleum N.V.–Udenna Corp. deal, proposed the resolution to charge Mr. Cusi along with other energy officials in order to provide them a chance to “defend themselves in the proper venue.”

On Friday, the senator said a case can be filed for their violation of the Anti-Graft and Corruption Practices Act, based on “their favor towards one company that did not have the ability, showing bias towards a company that did not pass the evaluation.” 

The case revolves around the Energy department’s approval of the sale of 45% participating interest in the Malampaya gas project of UC 38 LLC, previously known as Chevron Malampaya LLC, an indirect subsidiary of Udenna.

Mr. Duterte said that he had seen the report on the sale and purchase of the stock of Chevron Malampaya LLC.

“Based on this, I am convinced that this was a private transaction between private entities that must be respected,” he said in the statement. “I am likewise convinced that, in this case, the national interest has been protected and the rights of the government remain intact.”

Calling out what he called the “political antics of some members of the Senate,” the president asked them “to ensure that our ability to compete [with other countries for investments] is not jeopardized by political intrigues and innuendoes.

“Leave business transactions in the capable hands of the business sector. Let us respect their business decisions while we protect our national interests.” 

This as he acknowledged “the power of the Senate to conduct investigations in aid of legislation.” — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan 

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