CENECO president, board members say NEA vindicated them of serious charges; Say suspension is due to simple neglect of duty

The president and three board members of the Bacolod City-based Central Negros Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CENECO) said they were cleared of grave misconduct, gross neglect, dishonesty, gross insubordination, conduct prejudicial to the interest of the electric cooperative and its member-consumer-owners, and other charges, and were only meted a 30-day suspension for simple neglect of duty.

CENECO President Jojit Yap, in a press conference said she was referring to charges filed against them last year by Power Watch Negros Secretary-General Wennie Sancho before the National Electrification Administration (NEA).

Although they were suspended by NEA for 30 days, Yap and directors Antonio Panique, Fr. Ernie Larida, and Eugene Velasco said at the press conference Wednesday afternoon that they were filing a Motion for Reconsideration, adding that they will explain why they failed to apply for a Certificate of Exemption from the Department of Energy (DOE) when they extended for one year the power supply agreement with Kepco SPC Power Corporation.

They said their suspension does not affect CENECO’s operations.

Other directors who were not at the presscon but were included in the suspension are Robert Javellana and Martha Joyce Cuenca.

Former CENECO Acting General Manager / Project Supervisor Atty. Danny Pondevilla was also included in the suspension. He was also Manapla-based Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (NONECO) GM during that time, and was recently replaced by a new NEA-appointed CENECO Project Supervisor.

More information in the video of Wednesday’s presscon of the suspended CENECO board officers.*