THE National Electrification Administration (NEA) ended the year-long leadership dispute of Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) by yanking out the board of directors and Marie Rafael, the former Malacanang official whom NEA brought in as general manager.
Erstwhile BENECO General Manager (GM), whom NEA said was assistant GM, was suspended for 45 days and Engr. Ramil Rafani, BENECO network systems manager, was placed as interim GM for six months.
NEA administrator Antonio Almeda on Wednesday announced the end to the dispute by recalling Rafael’s appointment as BENECO general manager, and the complete removal of the BOD.
Her appointment was revoked through NEA-BOA Resolution No. 2023-02 because of her poor performance evaluation.
The NEA resolution said Rafael “evidently failed” to meet the key performance standards.
“Beneco, since her (Rafael’s) assumption [as general manager], has regressed to category ‘[C],’ coming from Triple ‘A’ category in the 2019 NEA’s [electric cooperatives’] overall performance assessment,” it said.
The NEA Board of Administrators (BOA) also removed directors Esteban Somngi, Rocky Aliping, Enrique Moresto, Jonathan Obar, Robert Valentin, Josephine Tuling, Luke Gomeyac, Peter Busaing, Jeffred Acop, Mike Maspil, and James Aclopen “based on findings of long-standing irregularities in the management of BENECO” from the audit covering January 2018 to December 2020. They were replaced by NEA-assigned Joaquin Gerenimo Depalog Jr., Elma Donaal, Steve Cating, George Dumawing and Rodolfo De Guia.
Mia Magdalena Fokno, a representative of the MCO, was voted as secretary.
According to the NEA, the BENECO BOD supposedly availed of and mismanaged substantial loans for the cooperative, as well as having amended the terms of payment for several service providers without the required approval of NEA.
They are also permanently disqualified from reinstatement or reemployment in any electric cooperative, from running as candidates for any cooperative, and are no longer eligible for monetary benefits from BENECO. They are also required to pay back the sum that they have supposedly received against regulations and rules.
Almeda also suspended Licoben for 45 days for “defying the regulator” and will be restored to his original position as assistant manager.
Meanwhile, Almeda clarified that Licoben’s penalty of suspension is only temporary and he will be able to return to his duties as assistant general manager to the newly-assigned temporary general manager after he serves the 45-day suspension period.
NEA created a five-person, multi-sectoral task force to fill the leadership vacuum. It is set to function as the interim board.
According to Almeda, who is now also BENECO’s project supervisor, the first priority of the new BOD will be to unfreeze the cooperative’s assets in the various banks, which the cooperative became unable to access following the leadership dispute, leading to outstanding debts to energy suppliers and hampered operations for the cooperative.
“All operations, business, and fiscal management will be consolidated in the head office,” the NEA chief added.
The NEA has assigned two audit teams to audit both the head office, under Licoben’s administration, and Rafael’s office, in order to consolidate the assets of the cooperative under the new BOD.
Rafael’s lament
“I am surprised, bothered and bewildered by the unexpected and sudden turn of events where the announced basis for the revocation of my appointment appears to be contrived,” said Rafael in her statement.
“The allegations in the letter I received are skewed and whimsical. These are totally baseless. In fact, there appears to be serious violations of NEA rules in this nonchalant issuance since the NEA previously approved a Resolution Suspending the PMC,” she said.
Rafael said she was unable to function as a manager because Licoben refused to leave his post as general manager and described the NEA’s basis for removing her as “contrived.”
“The restrained authority and capacity exercised coupled with the volatile situation in BENECO, efforts to accomplish the work plan was doomed to fail. But inspite of these, with the limited resources (1%), personnel and equipment, the concerns of aggrieved Member Consumers whose lines were summarily cut by the group of engr. Licoben were attended to and Beneco was able to convert to the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) as approved in the Annual Regular General Assembly Meeting (ARGAM),” Rafael said.
“The regression of BENECO to Category B was prompted by the varied unliquidated funds and corruption issues besetting BENECO. These issues came about AFTER the assumption of the Officer In Charge of the position of General Manager without any appointment, as I have not been able to take full charge of BENECO facilities, equipment and funds,” she added.
Beneco’s MCOs statement
Beneco MCOs said that NEA’s decision is an “unusual move” and politicized but hopeful.
“With a new Administrator being appointed in the person of Antonio Mariano “Nani” C. Almeda, we were hopeful that he would bring industrial peace, good governance, and due process, as promised,” the MCO statement said.
“While the solution imposed by the NEA this January 11, 2023 was way far from perfect, we thank Administrator Almeda for two positive gains: the recall and revoking of the appointment of Atty. Ana Maria Paz B. Rafael; and the “unfreezing” of the BENECO Bank Accounts which is vital to the continuation of its operations,” it said.
“Unfortunately, some decisions do not sit well with some MCOs and emotions are running high. The legal issues we are concerned about merit a lot,” it added.
“The whole problem dwells in the fact that the BOA has not admitted to any fault. On Marie Rafael’s removal, they should not have only cited her Performance Management Contract but also that she was unqualified as per the requirements of their own Memo No. 2017-035. They should also admit their faults with regards to what they are alleging were their basis for the dissolving of the BENECO Board, which demands at least an apology,” it said.
“As for GM Mel Licoben, it is a minor offense if indeed proven, and does not merit suspension. There was a lack of due process. However, the courts have not yet made a decision with finality and the NEA shall respect whatever the outcome since they are not higher than the courts,” it added.
