Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros on Friday called for broader accountability in the controversial sale of Malampaya shares to businessman Dennis Uy, urging that senior government officials beyond former energy officials be held responsible.
Hontiveros made the call after the Office of the Ombudsman found probable cause to file charges against former Energy secretary Alfonso Cusi and 11 other officials of the Department of Energy (DOE) for allegedly facilitating Uy’s controversial acquisition of Chevron’s 45% stake in the Malampaya gas project.
“I welcome the Office of the Ombudsman’s move to charge former Energy secretary Alfonso Cusi and 11 others with corruption over the Malampaya deal, but I believe people higher up in the bureaucracy should also be held accountable,” Hontiveros said in a news release.
She said the Malampaya gas project’s transfer to Uy’s companies involved high-level coordination.
Uy’s acquisition of Chevron’s stake in Malampaya in 2020 was followed by his acquisition of Shell’s 45% stake in 2022, leaving the government-owned PNOC-EC with a 10% interest.
Hontiveros also questioned the effectiveness of the 2021 Murang Kuryente Act, passed under the Duterte administration to reduce electricity costs by using Malampaya funds to address energy sector debts.
She raised concerns about whether this law achieved its goal, highlighting failures in privatization and debt management.
“While PSALM (Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation) may have benefited from an annual P8-billion appropriation, did this translate to lower electricity costs for consumers?” Hontiveros asked.
She said accountability must be demanded from all senior officials involved in the “misuse of public resources.” (PNA)