Leonardia ready to face off with Ceneco
BACOLOD CITY– Mayor Evelio Leonardia is ready to face head-on Central Negros ElectricCooperative's (Ceneco) threat to cut power from the Bacolod City Hall.
"They(Ceneco) owe us P200 million on franchise tax and if ever they first firedtheir gun on our account we are prepared for any eventuality," saidLeonardia.
Ceneco sent a demand letterlast Friday giving the city government until July 16, 2008 to settle their accountamounting to more than P159 million.
Leonardia said the publicshould know that Ceneco owe us a big amount and we are preparing a legalremedy regarding this.
City Legal Officer Atty. AlanZamora along with the chief executive met yesterday with Ceneco GeneralManager Sulpicio Lagarde and discussed the mode of payment that the city canprovide. However, The city government intends to only pay the current billingfrom January 2008 up to the present.
With regard to the previousaccount, the city moved to set aside this issue pending the resolution on thefranchise tax. Mayor Leonardia added that he has doubts on the composition ofthe new Ceneco board of directors which he said could be politicallyinfluenced.
The mayor is reluctant toreveal the remedy they will take until the deadline set by Ceneco for thedisconnection. Leonardia also questioned the integrity of Ceneco Alliance ofLifeline Consumers (Call-Bacolod) in pressuring Ceneco to disconnect theelectrical supply to the city government due to unpaid account. He added, thegroup is attacking city hall because some members are former city hallemployees who were dismissed due to dishonesty and tardiness.