Eddie Guillem, president of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative who has been suspended by the National Electrification Administration along with four other coop officers, yesterday branded the election of CENECO interim officials as "rigged, illegal, unfair and malicious" and done without a quorum.

The 30-day preventive suspension also included officer-in-charge Noriel Bermudez, board vice president Jobert Tagobader, secretary Gregorio Duremdes, and treasurer Gerardo Solas, pending the resolution of the administrative charges they are facing before NEA.

In a press statement, Guillem claimed that the election of interim officers Tuesday was "rigged and illegal" because the order of suspension had not yet been served officially to them.

Four of the nine CENECO directors elected on Tuesday Roberto Montelibano, Julius Tamayo, Perlito Fuentespina and Eduardo Torrecampo as acting president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer, respectively.

Another director, Cesar Leonardia, was not present as he was sick and is still in the hospital. "They have not even called us as a matter of simple protocol and respect; and now they want to ram through their will without due process," Guillem said in the press statement.

He also scored the directors for implementing reorganization and re-assignments in the CENECO Board without the proper quorum.

"How can they make resolutions and appropriate unto themselves the posts that are not theirs when they could not even muster a simple quorum?" he asked.

This only goes to show that somebody is pushing them to make hasty decisions for vested ends, Guillem added.

The DAILY STAR tried, but failed to reach Montelibano for comment last night.

Guillem had earlier claimed that a big politician in Bacolod with Malacañang backing had engineered their suspension. He also hit the politician for his "penchant for power play in the national level, to rid his local territory of democratic critics whom he always perceived as actual and potential enemies."

He vowed to name the politician and his group in due time.

He disclosed that his legal counsels are readying numerous charges against those who have taken part in the conspiracy against him and his colleagues, and undermine the cooperative's good performance.

Meanwhile, the Freedom from Debt Coaltion in Negros said in a press release yesterday that it is urging the new administration of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative under director Roberto Montelibano and officer-oin-charge Henry Sia to explore ways of translating reduced power rates to benefit member-consumers.

Electric cooperatives, particularly CENECO, have not yet implemented the previous rate reduction worth P9 million to its member-consumers and has ask for a Motion for Reconsideration for its implementation, the FDC said.

Early this week, the Energy Regulatory Commission ordered National Power Corporation to reduce power rates. In the Visayas, a P0.3151 per kilowatt-hour reduction will start from the Feb. 26 to March 25 billing period.*

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