Group backs appeal vs. CA ruling on power deals

Watchdog Power for People Coalition (P4P) on Wednesday backed the move of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to appeal before the Supreme Court the ruling that allows the power rate petitions of the power units of San Miguel Corporation (SMC).

“We welcome the move of the ERC and its chair, Monalisa Dimalanta, to uphold its duty of protecting consumers from the attempt by SMC to profit off the rising price of coal and gas by passing them on to consumers,” P4P convenor Gerry Arances said in a press release. 
 
“We hope the Supreme Court will see reason and rule that SMC must abide by its contract and cannot raise prices on electricity,” Arances said.

To recall, the Court of Appeals overturned the ERC's rejection of the power rate hike petitions.

The CA 13th Division decided to grant the consolidated petitions of SMC's power units San Miguel Energy Corp. (SMEC) and South Premiere Power Corp. (SPPC). It annulled and set aside the ERC’s orders dated September 29, 2022 for “grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess jurisdiction.”

Arances claimed that in siding with the SMC, the CA committed a grave disservice to consumers, exposing them to higher electricity prices.

Meralco and San Miguel had cited the higher prices of coal and natural gas materials used to produce electricity in the petitions —Anna Felicia Bajo/LDF, GMA Integrated News