Power Watch Negros is calling for an in-depth investigation on the root cause of the April 11 five-hour brownout in Bacolod City involving the Alijis feeder, so that appropriate mechanisms of accountability can be implemented against inefficiency and abusive behavior, if any, by Central Negros Electric Cooperative employees.
Wennie Sancho, Power Watch Negros secretary general, called for an investigation in a letter to CENECO Acting General Manager Arnel Lapore on Wednesday, April 17.
Aside from the inconvenience to Bacolod residents, we have to consider the far-reaching economic effects of these power outages, Sancho said.
If the allegations are true that there are CENECO employees involved in nefarious activities to disrupt the operations of CENECO, that would constitute a criminal offense causing injury to the welfare of the consumers, because CENECO is an institution imbued with public interests, Sancho said.
Sancho said they would like to find out and bring to light the issue as to whether the disconnection of the Optical Ground Wire at the Alijis feeder was deliberate and intentional, or if it was the result of a “force majeure”.
“We surmise that it would require a tool such as a bolt cutter to severe such a cable,” he said.
If there were employees of CENECO responsible for this alleged destructive actions designed to hinder the operation of CENECO, they should be held liable, Sancho said.*