CUC hits back; tells Kumoi to pay debts

Commonwealth Utilities Corporation Board Chair Rosario M. Elameto defended yesterday Executive Director Timothy P. Villagomez from bribery allegations as she lashed back at Sen. Ramon S. Guerrero for making CUC “nearly bankrupt” during his administration.

“This attack by [Mr. Guerrero] on the CUC Executive Director is totally irresponsible,” she said in a statement. “It is just another attempt to attack the Board’s decision on the 80-MW plant.”

Echoing the points made by Mr. Villagomez earlier, Ms. Elameto said the reported affidavit from Alice Fleming Villagomez was “sealed” document referred by CUC to the Attorney General’s Office last year for investigation.

She disclosed that it was sent to AGO on Jan. 29, 1999, which in turn handed in an “official notification” on Aug. 4 that year finding that the allegations “were baseless and [it] closed the matter.”

Ms. Elameto maintained the alleged affidavit was a “lie” which Mr. Guerrero should not use to attack the government-owned utility corporation.

“What is he worried about? That we are trying to collect money he owes CUC? He still owes from the time he was executive director and he owes on his own utility accounts,” she explained. “Does he think these attacks will stop CUC from collecting those debts?”

The Office of Public Auditor had asked Mr. Guerrero to return close to $260,000 to the government which he got “improperly and mistakenly” when he was the CUC executive director. He was also the subject of an oversight hearing conducted by the House of Representatives at that time.

“Mr. Guerrero left a big mess at CUC, the utility was nearly bankrupt. I hope he doesn’t do the same things as a senator,” said Ms. Elameto.

CUC, however, is still optimistic in working out an agreement on the 60-MW plant that it will bid out by next month with members of the Legislature, particularly with the respective committees on Public Utilities, Transportation and Communications of each chamber.

“[W]e will be able to work with the majority of the legislators on the power generation issues, but for a ‘rookie’ senator to begin his service by spreading lies meant to intimidate the CUC Board is a big mistake,” added Ms. Elameto.

Mr. Guerrero, who was elected into a four-year term in the Senate in the Nov. 6 midterm polls, has said the investigation he sought will determine whether these bribery allegations were true.