Judge Cites Casureco II Exec for Contempt

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PILI, Camarines Sur, (PNA) — For defying a court order issued in 2010 which suspended power rate a power cooperative here imposed, a regional trial court judge cited an electric coop executive for indirect contempt.

Judge Marvel C. Clavecilla of the Regional Trial Court Branch 33 found Muriel Abonal, area manager of Camarines Sur II Electric Cooperative (Casureco II), guilty of indirect contempt which was promulgated Tuesday last week.

Clavecilla imposed a 30-day imprisonment and a fine of P30,000 on Abonal.

Emmanuel Rojo, spokesperson of Casureco II, however, said Casureco II will bring the case to the Court of Appeals.

Rojo said they are confident the case regarding power rate is solely under the jurisdiction of the Energy Regulatory Commission.

In his ruling, Clavecilla cited the complaint of Emeterio Aman, proprietor of Aman Engineering Enterprise, whose power connection in his office was cut off on July 1, 2011.

The judge reminded Abonal of his July 6, 2010 order on the case of Genoviva Dimaiwat, et al vs. Casureco II that fixed the power rate at P4.8939 per kilowatt hour which was based on March 2010 power rate.

Clavecilla’s order required Casureco II to submit to the court “compliance certifications as to adherence of prior notice and hearings as well as to certification from the ERC on the approval of the power rate adjustments” on power rate billings in June 2010 onwards.

Aman complained that Abonal violated the July 6, 2010 order as shown by documentary evidence that he was charged P6.439800 per kilowatt hour for the May-June 2011 and P6.411800 per kilowatt hour for March-May 2011 power consumptions.

“The foregoing samples clearly illustrate that Casureco II and respondent Abonal were demanding and collecting payments from complainant Aman in excess of the power rate of P4.8939 as ordered by this Court,” Clavecilla ruled.

The judge maintains the validity of his decision that set the power rate of Casureco II in the March 2010 level.

“Lest it be once again ignored, the entire members of the Board of Directors, OIC-general manager Jane Barrameda, district area managers, and the manager of CEMPC, the various department heads, particularly, MIS Corplan and Finance all of Casureco II, are hereby reminded to strictly observe and abide by the decision of July 6, 2010 otherwise this Court will not hesitate, neither will it be cajoled, by fear or favor to wield its power to cite for contempt any and all violator(s) of its valid and enforceable order,” Clavecilla warned.

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