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By Sammy Martin, Correspondent
Yet another bombshell is set to
explode after a militant legislator discovered alleged ghost
delivery of P320-million worth of coal sold by a local dealer to the
National Power Corp. (Napocor).
Bayan Muna party-list Rep.
Teodoro Casiño on Wednesday said he was surprised to learn that
coal was bought from an allegedly fictitious buyer.
Casiño added he will file a
resolution calling for an investigation of the alleged anomaly
perpetrated by top government officials.
“I am shocked to learn that
Napocor recently awarded a P320-million contract to what is
apparently a paper company called Transpacific Consolidated
Resources Inc.,” the lawmaker said. “It is unconscionable for
Napocor to be again involved in such a multimillion scam considering
that it has a pending case in the Ombudsman involving more than P650
million in overpriced coal purchases.”
“This has shades of the sale of
the Masinloc power plant to a fly-by-night Australian company called
YNN Pacific that, like Transpacific, had a fictitious office. That
sale was eventually nullified,” he added.
Casiño said a congressional
investigation is needed, because, he added, “We have to know if
there is any irregularity involved, and if there is anything in
Napocor’s charter or our procurement laws that have to be changed
in order to stop this seeming wanton robbery of public funds.”
Documents revealed that PT
Marsiterio Marlloan with its local counterpart, Transpacific
Consolidated Resources, won the bidding for three lots of 65,000
metric tons of steaming coal to Pagbilao power plant. The contract
amounted to P320,639,104.50—or an average of $124 per metric ton,
using P49:$1, the prevailing exchange rate at the time of the deal.
Casiño said Juan Carlos
Guadarrama, Napocor’s vice-president and chairman of the bids and
awards committee, had sent an invitation to bid to PT Marsiterio
Marloan Prakarsat/Transpacific Consolidated Resources Inc., on
February 12. The invitation was sent to the firm’s listed office
at Danarra Hotel Business Center in Quezon City.
The bid opening date commenced on
February 15, and the award was given on February 19.
Biddings for Napocor’s coal
procurement started early this year to meet the country’s energy
requirement. Napocor has also awarded nine lots of coal amounting to
P650,666,016 to Indonesian firm PT Indominco Mandiri on February 11
for Sual power plant.
A check with the Danarra Hotel
revealed that the business center has not been in operation since
two months ago, and that there was no Transpacific Consolidated
Resources holding office there.
Another check with the Securities
and Exchange Commission also revealed that Transpacific has no
business registration. The country’s procurement law requires
bidders to submit articles of incorporation. If the bidder is a
foreign entity, a certification from the foreign embassy is
required.
Napocor got into trouble last
year when it was charged with allegedly overpricing coal purchases
amounting to P655 million. Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan),
Anakpawis, scientist group AGHAM, and People Opposed to Warrantless
Electricity Rates (POWER) claimed that Napocor President Cyril del
Callar committed graft when the power firm purchased coal from April
to July that was allegedly overpriced.
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