Senate to probe consumer group Nasecore

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Aquilino Pimentel filed a resolution on Thursday seeking a Senate investigation into the disbursement of public funds amounting to P5.8 million for private use by a so-called consumerist group identified as National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reform (Nasecore) headed by a certain Pete Ilagan.

Pimentel also asked the appropriate Senate committee to look into Nasecore’s accountability in using state funds.

In filing Senate Resolution 1242, Pimentel invoked a constitutional provision prohibiting the use of public funds for private purposes.

The Mindanao solon also cited the Government Procurement Reform Act which provides that any procurement by government departments, agencies, and institutions, as well as state-owned or controlled corporations should be governed by the principles of transparency and competitiveness by extending equal opportunity to enable private contracting parties to participate in the bidding process.

“Transparency and accountability in the disbursement of public funds to private entities must be further strengthened to ensure proper use of public funds by private entities,” Pimentel stressed.

SR 1242 also noted that it seemed ironic that Nasecore, “a self-proclaimed electricity consumer advocate and protector, through its public statements has manifested obvious bias in favor or the National Power Corp. and vigorously opposed all moves by the independent power producers (IPPs), the Department of Energy and the Energy Regulatory Commission, as well as the Congress to institute reforms in the power industry.”

Ilagan, however, had already reportedly challenged the Senate’s power to conduct the inquiry even as Pimentel’s resolution has yet to be filed.

In a press statement last July 4, Ilagan claimed that “the Senate has no jurisdiction or authority to investigate Nasecore’s affairs. He even warned that the senators would be confronting instead the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) if they would push through with the investigation.