SEN. Risa Hontiveros on Friday said other government officials involved in the questionable sale of Malampaya shares to businessman Dennis Uy should be investigated.
Uy is a known crony of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
“I welcome the Office of the Ombudsman’s move to charge former energy secretary Alfonso Cusi and 11 others with corruption over the Malampaya deal, but I believe people higher up in the bureaucracy should also be held accountable,” the senator added.
Hontiveros said she believes government officials during the term of Duterte and the current administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. worked in tandem to bring the questionable deal into fruition.
“This connection was easy to see because despite the contentious nature of the deal made public right here in the Senate, the Marcos administration allowed the extension and expansion of the Malampaya project for an additional 15 years,” Hontiveros said in Filipino, noting the sale requires approval of high government officials.
In 2020, Uy acquired Chevron’s 45 percent stake in Malampaya. In 2022, the Department of Energy approved Uy’s acquisition of another 45 percent of Chevron’s share, with Philippine National Oil Company Exploration Corp. maintaining its 10 percent interest.
Hontiveros said that in 2021, Duterte signed into law the Murang Kuryente Act (MKA), which aimed to bring down the cost of electricity throughout the country by appropriating funds from the proceeds of Malampaya to service stranded debts that the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (Psalm) Corp. was managing.
“Psalm may have heaved a sigh of relief with the annual appropriation of P8 billion in line with the noble intention of MKA, but did it make electricity more affordable to consumers due to the failure of privatization and managing the former National Power Corporation debts effectively? For this additional reason, we should hold to account all high government officials who are party to this mockery and abuse,” the senator added.
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