Tila nabunutan ng tinik ang kumpaniyang More Electric and Power Corporation o MORE POWER matapos silang katigan ng Korte Suprema
Ito’y kaugnay sa dalawang taong labanan sa korte ng MORE at ng Panay Electric Company o PECO hinggil sa pag-take over ng assets upang magtuloy-tuloy ang pagbibigay serbisyo sa publiko
Ayon kay MORE POWER President at CEO Roel Castro, isa aniyang patunay ang naging desisyon ng high tribunal na hindi kailanman mananaig ang fake news o maling balita at propaganda lalo’t kapakanan ng taumbayan ang siyang nakasalalay dito
“This victory has definitely made every step of the year-long legal wrangle very much worth it despite PECO’s delaying tactics and fake news propaganda against us.The ruling, more than anything else, is a clear message by the High Tribunal that nothing is over and above the welfare of the general public. This is definitely a major win for all of us, most especially for Iloilo power consumers who spent years, decades even, putting up with all the unbridled violations and inequities of the former utility distributor,” pahayag ni Castro.
Nangako ang More Power na makaaasa ang buong Iloilo City ng moderno at maaasahang power service na may ilang dekada nilang hindi naranasan sa ilalim ng PECO.
“We applaud the Supreme Court for making this decision and by standing alongside the advocacy of the people to finally oust a monopoly that has trampled on the rights of the Ilonggos for so long. Rest assured that MORE Power will continue working to improve and modernize the distribution system as we carry forward the tradition of noble public service Ilonggos have every right to demand for and which they fully deserve,”dagdag pa nito.
Samantala, hinimok ng mga mambabatas ang dating power firm na Panay Electric Company(PECO) na tanggapin na ang naging kapalaran ng kanilang kumpanya at hayaan nang makapagserbisyo ang bagong power firm.
Sinabi ni Iloilo City Rep Julienne Baronda na noong upa pa lamang ay kumpiyansa na ang Kamara na kakatigan ng SC ang naging desisyon nito na ibigay sa mas karapat dapat na kumpanya ang prangkisa na aniya ay dumaan sa legal na proseso.
“We were confident since the start that the High Tribunal will uphold the Congressional franchise. We know we were acting within our legislative powers and took into account the promise of better service”paliwanag ni Baronda.
Bilang nag-iisang kogresista sa Iloilo City umaapela si Baronda sa PECO na respetuhin ang batas at sundin ang desisyon ng SC.
“Now that the Supreme Court has spoken, the people of Iloilo City expect both camps to respect the law. We hope that More Power will now be able to fully fulfill its promises to us”dagdag pa nito.
Gayundin ang pahayag ni Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel , aniya, noon pa man ay batid nilang ibabasura ng SC ang petisyon ng PECO dahil wala na itong prangkisa para makapag-operate bilang power utility.
“ I believe that the Supreme Court made the right decision and with this ruling by the Supreme arbiter of our laws, Peco has no more recourse but to accept the fate of their company”paliwanag ni Pimentel.
Sa botong 8-6 ay kinatigan ng SC ang petisyon ng More Power at binaligtad ang July 2019 ruling ng Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court na nagdedeklara na unconstitutional ang Sections 10 at 17 ng Republic Act 11212.
