(As published in ABANTE Newspaper on Feb. 26, 2009 under the column of Ms. Ellen Tordesillas)
Noong Pebrero 16, inilathala ko rito ang reklamo ni Arman Eusebio, taga Pasay, tungkol sa sinasabi niyang pangi-ngikil ng mga tauhan ng Meralco sa kanila pagkatapos nadiskubre ang jumper sa kanilang katabing bahay noong Oktubre 2008.
Sabi ni Arman, sinisingil siya ng Meralco ng Php237,670.80.
Sabi ni Arman, “Ano bang klaseng trabaho ba ito? Parang isang malaking ‘extortion practice’ itong ginagawa nila eh. Pati ba naman sa Meralco wala na ding hustisya ang mga imbestigasyon?“Kami ang ginugulo ng mga taong ito gayong regular na nagbabayad ng bills ang Nanay ko habang iyong may-ari ng bahay kung saan nila nakita ang ilegal na koneksyon ay wala silang ginawang aksyon. At ang masaklap, hindi nila binigyan ng importansya o sinilip man lang na iyong bahay na iyon ay walang maipapakitang metro pero may mga gamit sa loob ng kanilang tatlong palapag na bahay.”
Sumulat si Joe R. Zaldarriaga, manager for External Communications ng Meralco, at sinabi na walang masama o walang irregular sa ginawa ng mga tauhan ng Meralco.
Hindi rin daw totoo na nagtangkang mag-extort ang mga tauhan ng Meralco. “ It is also not true that our personnel were extorting money from him,” sabi ni Zaldariaga.
“Although he claims to have an active account, findings however reveal that there has been unregistered consumption emanating from a room adjacent to his, which is reportedly being occupied by a certain Mr. Juanito Eusebio. Mr. Juanito Eusebio was found to have no metering facility and was illegally connected. Our findings reveal that this benefited Mr. Arman Eusebio. During our inspection, there were law enforcement officers present since this is required by the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the law specifically Republic Act 7832 or the Anti-Electricity Pilferage Law,” dagdag pa niya.
Yung P237,670.80 na sinasabi ni Arman ay “recovery of the cost of electricity he should have incurred had he not been found to have illegal connection” o yung talagang bill niya kung hindi nadiskubre ang kanyang ilegal na koneksyun.
“We also would like to stress on record that we strictly observed and adhered to standard procedure while the inspection was being done. Evidence found in his premises speak for itself,” sabi ni Zaldariaga at hindi lang daw si Arman ang apektado dito. Ginagawa lang daw ng Meralco ang kanilang trabaho at kasama doon ang malaman kung magkano ang nagamit na kuryente ng isang customer.
“This should not be taken personally. This is an issue of fairness – to make sure that customers should pay in accordance with their consumption,” sabi niya.
Gusto rin paalalahanin ng Meralco ang mga naglalagay ng ilegal na kuneksyon na maliban sa ito ay delikado dahil sa “substandard connections”, ito ay “morally wrong.”
“ The law prohibits it and the same law empowers distribution utilities such as Meralco with the help of law enforcement agencies to apply it in order to protect electricity consumers,” sabi ni Zaldariaga.
Bukas raw ang Meralco sa pag-uusap kay Arman para naman matulungan siya sa kanyang problema.
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