Ang to file graft charges vs PNOC president

MANILA, Philippines — Petron president Ramon Ang has revealed that he would file this week graft charges against Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) president and CEO Reuben Lista for the latter’s unexplained wealth and other acts that are prejudicial to the government.

In an ambush interview Saturday night, Ang said Lista owns several luxurious properties, including a high-end condominium unit, which he could not have been able to afford with his government salary.

One of the properties which Lista owns is a condominium unit in Essensa at the Bonifacio Global City where he lives.

When asked if he will file it in his capacity as Petron chief, Ang said he could file it even in his personal capacity. Ang may be joined by other officers of Petron in the suit.

Ang is the president of San Miguel Corp., the parent company of Petron.

Prior to joining PNOC in November 2016, Lista held positions in the Philippine Coast Guard, Department of Transportation and the then Ministry of Public Works and Highways.

It is not known whether the graft charges were triggered by an ongoing land dispute between Petron and PNOC, but Ang emphasized it was Lista who started everything.

PNOC and Petron have long been engaged in a dispute involving land being leased by the petroleum company from PNOC.

Petron has already brought PNOC to court for allegedly breaching their lease agreements.

Petron has asked the Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) to “stop PNOC from performing acts aimed at ousting Petron from its leased properties.”

Petron claimed that PNOC breached three lease contracts with the oil refiner when the former sought to nullify binding property lease renewal clauses ahead of their expiration.

PNOC wants Petron to nullify a section of the lease agreement which states that “in case the parties fail to come to an agreement, the same terms and conditions shall apply except the initial rental rate for the renewal period shall be the rental rate at the time of expiration plus two percent thereof and subsequent rental rate shall be escalating by two percent per annum.”

Petron said earlier that PNOC’s move may jeopardize the operations of the publicly-listed firm as well as the interest of its small shareholders and partner stakeholders.

The company has existing lease agreements with PNOC for the sites of its $3-billion refinery in Bataan, 24 bulk plants and 67 gasoline stations.

Petron argued that through it is their position that the lease agreements for the three properties and the renewal clauses therein are valid and binding..

Petron has been offering to negotiate its agreements with the PNOC since 2016, but the company was forced to go to court after Lista sought to waive the renewal clauses in their lease agreements, which would expire in 2018.

Lista had said that the contracts’ provisions are allegedly disadvantageous to the government.

Petron has said through its lawyers that if PNOC will continue to disregard its reciprocal obligations on the conveyance of its land, then PNOC should return the properties to them especially since Petron has invested billions of dollars on these properties.

Lista has called for the abandonment and cleanup of the contested sites on or before the expiration of the agreements next year.

In fact, the PNOC president has announced that the properties are now open for use by other players.

Energy Secretary and PNOC chairman Alfonso Cusi has said his office has formed a negotiating team to resolve the rental issue.

The leased properties were initially owned and acquired by Petron for its refinery, distribution, and sales operations. Commenting on the creation of the negotiating team, Ang said it is already too late since the issue has been going on for a year.

He emphasized that all Lista wanted to do was to offer their properties to new independent oil companies.

As for Cusi, Ang said he has nothing against the energy chief.