BY MA. THERESA LADIAO
ILOILO City – A national probe into electric cooperative mismanagement has ignited concern across the country as the National Electrification Administration (NEA) filed formal complaints before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against several officials for alleged financial irregularities and governance failures.
The NEA, in a push for accountability, said the charges stemmed from audit findings and internal investigations that revealed questionable transactions and suspected violations of regulatory policies in the operations of some electric cooperatives (ECs).
While it did not publicly identify the cooperatives or regions involved, NEA confirmed that multiple areas are affected.
So far, electric cooperatives in Western Visayas have not been named or implicated. However, the development has prompted vigilance among stakeholders in the region.
Consumer advocacy groups and local officials in Iloilo have voiced support for the NEA’s move, urging continued transparency and oversight to maintain public trust in rural power distribution.
“We support any effort that ensures the responsible use of public funds and the protection of consumer interests,” said a representative of a local watchdog group. “We are hopeful our electric cooperatives will continue to uphold good governance.”
NEA also assured that contingency measures are ready to prevent disruptions in power distribution should administrative interventions or leadership changes occur during the legal proceedings.
The agency emphasized that its crackdown serves as a warning to all electric cooperatives nationwide: mismanagement and lack of accountability will not be tolerated in the service of public interest./PN
