Hontiveros wants higher officials held accountable over anomalous Malampaya deal
December 6, 2024
Hontiveros wants higher officials held accountable over anomalous Malampaya deal
Senator Risa Hontiveros on Friday said that accountability over the anomalous sale of Malampaya shares to businessman Dennis Uy should go beyond former energy officials and include other high government officials.
"I welcome the Office of the Ombudsman's move to charge former Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and 11 others with corruption over the Malampaya deal, but I believe people higher up in the bureaucracy should also be held accountable," Hontiveros said.
She said that she tends to believe that Duterte and Marcos administration officials, during their harmonious UniTeam days worked in tandem to ensure the smooth handover of the Malampaya gas project to their new cronies.
"Madali namang makita ang koneksyong ito dahil sa kabila ng open-secret na red flags na nakita at naging maingay noon pa dito mismo sa Senado, in-extend at in-expand pa rin ng Marcos administration ang Malampaya project sa ilalim ng SC 38 nang may karagdagang 15 taon," Hontiveros said.
The kind of Malampaya deals brought to the attention of the Ombudsman involve big business but also require the approval of high government officials. In 2020, Dennis Uy acquired Chevron's 45% stake in Malampaya and in 2022, the DOE also approved another acquisition, formerly Shell's 45%, with PNOC-EC maintaining its 10% interest.
In 2021, the administration of then President Duterte signed into law the Murang Kuryente Act (MKA) which aimed to bring down the cost of electricity throughout the country by appropriating funds from the proceeds of Malampaya to service stranded debts that are being managed by PSALM.
"PSALM may have heaved a sigh of relief with the annual appropriation of P8 billion in line with the noble intention of MKA, but did it make electricity more affordable to consumers due to failure of privatization and in managing the former Napocor debts effectively?" Hontiveros said.
She continued, "For this additional reason, we should hold to account all high government officials who are party to this mockery and abuse."
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