“The NEA Board of Administrators held that the repeat offenses merited the removal of the BENECO Board of Directors while certain officers be suspended as first time offenders,” Almeda said in a press briefing at the BENECO Headquarters in South Drive, Baguio City.
The NEA BOA held that BENECO’s Directors namely Esteban A. Somngi, Rocky M. Aliping, Enrique S. Moresto, Jonathan C. Obar, Robert L. Valentin, Josephine B. Tuling, Luke B. Gomeyac, Peter B. Busaing, Jeffred S. Acop, Mike W. Maspil, and James B. Aclopen, unduly received benefits and allowances, availed of and mismanaged substantial loans to the detriment of BENECO, as well as amended the terms of payment for several of its service providers without the required approval of NEA, among others.
In the absence of the BENECO Board of Directors, NEA created and installed a multi-sectoral task force to act as BENECO Board of Directors effective January 10, 2023 until a regular board shall be created. The BENECO Task Force is composed of Steve Cating from the business sector who will seat as the Chairperson, George Dumawing from the consumer/professional sector, Rodolfo De Guia from the religious sector, Elma Donaal from the academe/education sector and Joaquin Geronimo Depalog Jr. from the agricultural sector.
In the same order, the NEA BOA also suspended Assistant General Manager Melchor Licoben with Internal Auditor Brenda Carling and Non-Network Service Division Manager Ricardo Palloga for 45 days in relation to the audit findings earlier conducted by NEA.
The NEA also recalled and revoked the employment of the probationary appointment as General Manager of Atty. Anna Marie Rafael effective immediately. The NEA noted that since Rafael’s assumption as GM, BENECO’s rating as an electric cooperative has regressed to category C from AAA category in the 2019 NEA EC Overall Performance Assessment.
It can be recalled that the NEA then under Emmanuel Juneza appointed Rafael as the BENECO GM in 2021, which the BENECO employees, member-consumers, and majority of local government in Baguio-Benguet did not accept. Licoben was the GM the MCOs recognized. This and get her subsequent actions created problems for the electric cooperative.
Moreover, NEA designated Engr. Ramel Rifani, the current BENECO Network Service Department Manager, as Acting General Manager of BENECO effective immediately and for a period of six months or until a regular General Manager shall be appointed.
Almeda, who is also the designated Project Officer of BENECO, administered the oath of Rifani and the members of the BENECO Task Force with Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong as witness.
The new officials shall prioritize the election and appointment of BENECO regular BOD within the period of six months. (JDP/ RMC- PIA CAR)
