Groups file graft charges vs Energy chief Lotilla

Progressive groups file a graft complaint against Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla before the Office of the Ombudsman for his alleged violation of a coal moratorium, favoring AboitizPower’s Therma Visayas Inc. Unit 3 expansion in Toledo City, Cebu. INQUIRER.net / Faith Argosino

MANILA, Philippines — Progressive groups filed on Thursday a graft complaint against Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Raphael Lotilla before the Office of the Ombudsman for his alleged violation of a coal moratorium, favoring AboitizPower’s power plant expansion in Toledo City, Cebu.

Groups Sanlakas and Power for People Coalition (P4P), along with Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino Chairman Emeritus Leody De Guzman filed a criminal complaint for violation of Republic Act No. 3019 (the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) and an administrative complaint for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service concerning Lotilla’s reported “endorsement” of Aboitiz’s Therma Visayas Inc. (TVI) Unit 3 expansion.

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According to them, Lotilla’s reported endorsement violates a coal moratorium issued by the DOE in 2020 during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Progressive groups file a graft complaint against Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla before the Office of the Ombudsman for his alleged violation of a coal moratorium, favoring AboitizPower’s Therma Visayas Inc. Unit 3 expansion in Toledo City, Cebu. INQUIRER.net / Faith Argosino

Under the moratorium, concerned stakeholders were notified that the DOE would not process applications for greenfield coal-fired power generation facility projects requesting for endorsements and existing and operational coal-fired power generation facilities, among others.

“By approving the expansion of TVI, Secretary Lotilla not only increased the cost of electricity for the people of Cebu and contributed to more pollution in the Central Visayas but also favored his old company, AboitizPower. AboitizPower was effectively exempted from following the provisions of the coal moratorium, a privilege not given to any other company,”  P4P Convenor Gerry Arances said in a statement.

“Walang lugar ang interes ng malalaking negosyo sa kuryente, konsyumer dapat ang bigyan ng prayoridad. Oras na para sagutin ni Lotilla ang mga alegasyon na binabato laban sa kanya,” De Guzman, for his part, said.

(There is no place for the interests of big businesses in electricity here; consumers are the ones who should be given priority. It is time for Lotilla to answer the allegations being thrown against him.)

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Arances also pointed out that the expansion of the TVI was approved last year or three years after the agency’s coal moratorium took effect in 2020.

“Aboitiz Power, as late as 2023, could not even decide if the plant will be fueled by coal or gas. However, despite the moratorium, they decided to use coal, and the Department of Energy approved their request and claimed the project was exempted despite the project not obviously in the coal pipeline when the moratorium was issued,” he added.

INQUIRER.net sought the side of Lotilla regarding the allegations but has yet to reply as of posting time.