Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday, February 7, reiterated her support for the Senate resolution that seeks to recommend the filing of criminal charges against Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and other Department of Energy (DOE) officials that had a hand in the irregular sale of a 45-percent stake in the Malampaya gas project before the Office of the Ombudsman.
Hontiveros admitted she too, was disappointed at Duterte’s defense of Cusi and for rejecting the outcome of the Senate Energy Committee’s hearing on the controversial sale of Chevron Malampaya LLC to UC Malampaya which is an indirect subsidiary of Udenna Corporation, owned by Dennis Uy, a known friend and campaign supporter of the President.
“On all counts, not only was the DOE negligent, its secretary violated its own department order,” said Hontiveros during an online press briefing.
“Even though it was no longer surprising, it was very disappointing, and very unacceptable for the President to back them,” she pointed out.
At the very least, Hontiveros said the President should allow the investigation to run its course and ask Cusi to take a leave of absence while the probe is ongoing.
Duterte earlier slammed the move done by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian after he handed over to the Ombudsman the copy of the Senate resolution recommending the criminal prosecution of Cusi and his subordinates, and thumbed down expectations he will sack the DOE chief.
The President also expressed “grave concern” over what he said is an apparent effort at the Senate to put in “bad light” the sale of Malampaya shares.
But Hontiveros, who is seeking a re-election in the upcoming May 2022 elections, said the President should not conveniently forget that a third party company should also oversee any transaction or negotiation that involves one of the country’s “crown jewels” in the energy sector.
“Not only the DOE, but also the PNOC (Philippine National Oil Company), should oversee on the part of the country’s interest, because the PNOC has the right of first refusal,” she pointed out.