Energy Assistant Secretary Gerardo Erguiza Jr. during the Laging Handa public briefing on Wednesday, July 7, 2021. (Screenshot from PTV Facebook Page)
MANILA – An official of the Department of Energy (DOE) said the agency did not break any law in establishing the independent market operator, contrary to the claims of Senator Manny Pacquiao.
During the Laging Handa public briefing Wednesday, DOE Assistant Secretary Gerardo Erguiza Jr. said the establishment of the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) has even fulfilled the requirement under Republic Act No. 9136, or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001.
The IEMOP serves as the independent market operator of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM).
Erguiza said the creation of IEMOP does not need bidding and does not require the operator to have large capital.
“It (independent market operator) does not need big capital because according to the law, the functions, assets, and liabilities of the temporary market operator --the Philippine Electricity Market Corp. (PEMC)-- will transfer these to the independent market operator,” he said in Filipino.
He added the IEMOP will run the operation and administration aspects of being an independent market operator.
Erguiza said Pacquiao might be “ill-advised” for coming up with his allegations against the DOE.
The DOE official said this issue of the establishment of the IEMPO was cleared as the department has “exhaustively discussed” the matter during a hearing at the Lower House.
But Erguiza said the DOE is not keen to pursue legal actions against the senator.
“What’s important to us is to show that the DOE and Secretary (Alfonso) Cusi are clear (from the allegations),” Erguiza added in Filipino. “We will lift it up to God. We will not engage in defamatory acts.” (PNA)
