End to Benguet power co-op leadership crisis sought

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines  – The National Electrification Administration (NEA) has been urged to resolve the leadership issues at the Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco).

During a hearing of the House committee on energy last Monday, Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta sought NEA’s intervention on the problem that has been hounding the power cooperative for a year now.

This developed after former Beneco assistant general Melchor Licoben, who lost to lawyer Ana Maria Paz Rafael in the selection for the position of general manager, defied the result of the process and refused to vacate the post.

Licoben said the post was accorded to him by the board of directors of Beneco.

Marcoleta earlier asked the House committee to look into the leadership issue as well as the alleged anomalies in the electric cooperative.

Lawyer Vic Alvaro, chief of the NEA legal services department, gave assurance that the problem would be solved soon.

“He had ordered a financial management audit on Beneco and was waiting for our auditors to let go of  their present assignments in the cooperative,” Alvaro said.

An earlier NEA audit reportedly showed alleged fund misuse in the Beneco including misappropriations approved by the cooperative’s board.

The report resulted in the suspension of six Beneco officials including Licoben.