Energreen promises - 2

First let me thank fellow columnist Rolly Espina for his support. He said it perfectly well. As a veteran journalist, Rolly knows how to smell a rat as in this libel case. Surely, this suit does not close the issue; it only opens more, like a hydra spewing more spit.

In fact, it whets public appetite to look, including at the CENECO Board’s stolid silence rather than explaining why they extended the contract as often as Energreen failed to deliver.

The libel case filed by Energreen against me indicates that they are not able to answer any questions or that they are afraid that if I continued to seek answers and demand the release of certain  documents, their true nature, intent and capabilities will be made public. If they have nothing to hide, they would have already explained to the public long ago. Instead their ads only raised more questions for attempted obfuscation.

I have not seen the copy of the libel case they sent to the newspapers, but read the allegations from them. The reports clearly indicate it was filed to harass. Well that goes with this effort to draw out the facts. Companies, like politicians and public officials, that cannot level with the public, tend to file cases to stop the critical views. But this kind of defense usually backfires.

Atty. Vicente Petierre and Fr. Ernie Larida of Bacolod Diocesan Social Action Center had been asking the same questions since last year. Several radio commentators that have not been influenced by Manuel Canto, Energreen’s reported spokesman, have also voiced the same questions but what we got are misleading and contradictory information. They muddled the issues and confused the public, thus fueling more questions.

This column clarifies and points to these contradictions, clears the fuzzy and criticizes the erroneous and disadvantageous to the public. These views Energreen does not like as it may perceive them to be obstacles to whatever its purposes are. But our work as journalists is to open the sealed and expose those in the dark to serve our public’s need and right to know under all our laws – Legal, Constitutional, Moral and Natural.

Energreen singled me out of the many media and other critics, a distinction indeed. That is a tacit, although reluctant admission of the effectiveness of this column. When friends and colleagues give an award that is natural, but when it comes from persons or institutions that hate your guts, that’s real recognition.

Since ancient times only an ignorant public can be manipulated so that in a democracy, the people’s right to know is sacrosanct and the work of the  press’ to inform is protected as one of man’s first freedoms. As veteran journalists would say, our work is to comfort the weak and defenseless and to discomfort the strong and the powerful. That means taking risks, but the other option is a greater sin – indifference.

Truly history attests, public indifference leads to more abuses. That is the reason that even one voice must be silenced.

But let us continue asking questions and pointing out what we suspect to be skewed in this contract between CENECO which is supposed to be our cooperative and established for our good; and Energreen the supplier of power that has, so far, offered nothing but promises. Sadly CENECO’s leadership swallowed promises like dizzying nectar of the gods. When will these board members wake up from their idyllic dream? That is our hope and concern. Ah, I recall that famous song of long ago of the Middle Ages, “A Song to Celia” which speaks of lovers who prefer Celia’s alluring eyes than sip from Jove’s nectar. Could this be their song?

Now let’s leave the romantic and move on to today’s reality of a string of Energreen’s promises and much later on the dangerous impact of its generating sets to the environment.

When Energreen failed to deliver power as they promised several times since last year, the company cited force majeure justifications that are clearly groundless. It said there was port congestion, although the only port that is congested is Manila’s, and we have ports in Bacolod and Iloilo. It also cited difficulty in securing cement, but there was no advisory from the Department of Trade and Industry that there is a shortage. In fact we see mounds of cement all over this city and hardware stores did not complain of difficulty of supply.

Then on March 6, inadvertently, Energreeen revealed the real reason.

Let’s reveal that on Monday.*

back to top