President Marcos has appointed Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Jesse Hermogenes Andres as officer-in-charge (OIC) chairperson and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) announced on Saturday morning, Sept. 21.

In a memorandum dated Sept. 20 to DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said Andres' appointment is effective immediately and will serve the post until a replacement is named.

With this, Andres, a lawyer, is authorized to receive representation and transportation allowances, and extraordinary expenses based on applicable rates upon assuming office.

"Funds for this purpose shall be charged against the appropriations of the ERC, subject to the availability thereof, and to accounting and auditing requirements," the memorandum read.

Andres will take over the position vacated by ERC chair Monalisa Dimalanta who was ordered a six-month suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman early this month.

In a statement, Dimalanta said she would “immediately cease to perform her functions as Chairperson and Chief Executive Office of the ERC,” starting Sept. 9, but ensured that "all operations of the agency shall continue to function, to the extent possible and as required by the exigencies of service."

The suspension order on Dimalanta stemmed from a complaint filed by the National Association of  Electricity Consumers Inc (Nasecore) that accused her of negligence of duty for delayed action on rate reset, primarily for utility giant Manila Electric Company (Meralco).

She claimed that the Ombudsman’s ruling “does contain some allegations of the complaint, without providing, however, any statement as to the evidence submitted by [the] complainant that became the basis for the issuance of the preventive suspension Order.”

Dimalanta said her legal team has been “studying the matter in order to take all available legal remedies given the circumstances.”