THERE’S NO way consumers can file plunder charges against the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) for its deliberate refusal to refund P40.5 billion in overcollection. But that doesn’t mean Meralco is off the hook.
For one, the money that Meralco owes to the consumers could not be considered public funds. Hence, plunder charges wouldn’t work. But filing criminal charges for deliberate falsification of public documents, malicious tampering of electric meters, or syndicated estafa against the public utility company, would be a message strong enough to make Meralco realize we’re not as stupid as they thought.
Meralco, which is under the control of companies supposedly owned by the country’s top three billionaires — Manny V. Pangilinan, Lance Gokongwei and Ramon Ang — owes consumers a staggering P40.5 billion since 2021.
Looking back, the Energy Regulatory Commission in 2021 ordered Meralco to refund its consumers the amount of roughly P14 billion in excess collections or “over recoveries.”
Meralco didn’t heed.
The following year, the ERC ordered another refund amounting to P4.8 billion Then, in July 2022, in a final decision on the same case, the ERC yet again ordered Meralco to cough up the additional amount of P21.77 billion.
Still, no refund was made by Meralco. All in all, Meralco owes the consumer a whopping P40.492 billion.
To be perfectly candid, Meralco owes us so much more – anguish, anxiety and the value of the money considering factors like inflation and the profits that the consumers could have earned had they been able to use their hard-earned money in side gigs like online selling, sari-sari store, buy-and sell business, etcetera.
The fact that Meralco didn’t appeal the decision is an indication that they’re actually overcharging us for the last seven years.
Sadly, not a dime has since been returned. Check your bills and you’d probably realize that consumer advocates have been telling the truth and fighting a lonely battle all by themselves.
Ranting on social media platforms isn’t enough. Join consumer advocate movements in filing a class suit against Meralco.
With a class suit filed before the proper court, only then would Congress realize that there’s valid ground to strip Meralco of its franchise. But if I had it my way, I’d rather want the government to seize control of Meralco which has been legally snatching food, health and education from the poor.