Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers has echoed the call from the upper chamber for the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to penalize erring power distributors that have overcontracted power supply. “The call to penalize power distributors that overcontracted power supply and imposed the costs to consumers is a good call. But imposing fines on their mismanagement is not enough," Barbers said in a statement on Monday, March 27. He was referring to remarks coming from Senator Sherwin Gatchalian for the ERC to get tough on such power distributors. "They should be made to refund to the consumers who paid for electricity that they never used. The refund can come as discounted billings spread over a certain period,” said Barbers, a senior Nacionalista Party (NP) stalwart in the House of Representatives. The Mindanaoan then bared his province's unsavory experience with these power distributors. “In Surigao del Norte, we have been experiencing the same problem for years now. Napakataas po ng electricity rates doon (The electricity rates there are so high). This seemingly becoming trend or practice has to stop and the ERC should do something about it ASAP,” he added. If he would have his way, Barbers said that the fines to be imposed shouldn't be a “mere slap on the wrist “to avoid repeated violations. “It is indeed rubbing insult to injury. The ERC should immediately dig deep in its investigations and take action to protect the consumers,” he said.