The Bacolod City Prosecutor has approved the filing of charges in court against three officials of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative for falsification of an official document and using it to seek Energy Regulatory Commission approval of a petition for a power rate hike.

The  prosecutor was acting on a complaint  filed by Enrique Tabino, former CENECO legal counsel and OIC general manager.

Bacolod City Prosecutor Armando Abanado approved the recommendation of Prosecutor II Dennis Jarder for the filing of charges in court against CENECO president Edward Gasambelo, vice president-secretary Luis Cuenca and general manager Sulpicio Lagarde, Tabino said yesterday.

The special election for the director to represent the Central Negros Electric Cooperative District VI in Bago City yesterday was illegal since it had no authorization from the National Electrification Administration, incoming CENECO Board of Directors member Roy Cordova said yesterday.

Cordova also said the special board meeting called by CENECO president Eduard Gasambelo Wednesday to push for the special election in Bago yesterday that was attended by CENECO directors Roberto Montelibano, Michael Maravilla and Luis Cuenca, did not constitute a quorum.

Based on the bylaws of CENECO, a special board meeting can only be held 72 hours after prior notice is given to all the officers, he said.

The bidding for the purchase and lease of the 7.7068 has. property of the Negros Occidental provincial government along Lacson Street, North Capitol Road and Aguinaldo Street in Bacolod City yesterday failed, Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. said.

That is because only Ayala Land submitted a bid, and under Commission on Audit rules there must be at least three bidders, the governor said.

The bid of Ayala Land was returned unopened to be re-entered at a new bidding set for July 7, he said.