Lim orders firm to pay Vitas slaughterhouse’s P3-M power bill

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim has directed the city’s legal officer to write a demand letter to Dealco Farms Inc., owned by the family of Councilor Dennis Alcoreza, ordering it to settle its unpaid electricity bills amounting to over P3 million.

In his letter, legal officer Renato dela Cruz said that based on a July 28communiqué from the Manila Electric Co., the slaughterhouse, which used to be run by Dealco, has two outstanding bills of P3,278,883.45.

Dela Cruz said the amount covers two accounts – meter number 800334401 with unpaid bills of P455,093.45 and meter number 800334501 whose unsettled bills totaled P2,823,790.

Dela Cruz told Alcoreza that Meralco payments head Clarito San Buenaventura has sent a final notice to Dealco, stressing the need for the electric company to be informed of Dealco’s plan to pay the  bills.

“As these bills have already aged considerably, we urgently request you to pay them within a definite time frame,” the Meralco letter stated.

Dela Cruz said Dealco should be the one to settle the unpaid bills since it was the one that consumed the electric power and incurred the large debt.

He also demanded that Dealco settle its electric bills immediately to avoid disconnection of power supply to the Vitas slaughterhouse, which may adversely affect its operations.  

The Alcoreza family also owes the city millions or pesos in unpaid rentals and the city’s one percent share in Dealco’s earnings, the statement read.     – Sandy Araneta