Power Watch Negros secretary-general Wennie Sancho will file a complaint against CENECO employees who were allegedly involved in nefarious activities that resulted in power outages on March 26 and April 11 in Bacolod City, said a press release from the group.
It suspects that there are forces within CENECO who are trying to sabotage the operation of the electric cooperative.
On behalf of the consumers, Power Watch Negros will request Atty. Arnel Lapore, acting general manager of CENECO for an in-depth investigation on the brownouts that lasted for several hours causing inconvenience, irritation, and sleepless nights to the consumers.
Power Watch Negros will also request NEA to conduct a parallel investigation, particularly on the April 11 brownout. It was reported that an optical ground wire, which is a type of cable that is used in overhead power lines, was “detached” or cut off causing massive brownout for almost four hours. It wants to find out if the detachment or cutting off of the optical ground wire was deliberate and intentional, or caused by “force majeure.”
It would take the expertise of a bolt cutter to sever the cable wire. If the allegations are true that there were CENECO linemen involved in trying to paralyze the operations of CENECO, it would constitute a criminal offense causing serious injury to public welfare, the press release said.
As member-consumer-owners (NCO) of CENECO, it is our basic right to be an informed consumer and to be given adequate access to information on matters affecting the electric service of the consumers concerned. Power Watch would strongly recommend that the linemen involved should inhibit themselves from working in the same area of operations to prevent a possible whitewash of the investigation.
An in-depth investigation would suffice to determine the root causes of these brownouts that we dread most, especially during midnight or in the wee hours of the morning, it added.
What a shame it would be if the allegations are true, it is a disservice to our people. The situation in CENECO was exacerbated by the irresponsible members of the CURE, whose only right they knew was the right to strike, regardless of the consequences and without any consideration of the plight of the consumers. Their only concern is themselves, the press release concluded.*
