President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. overstepped his bounds when he spoke out against the Court of Appeals’ ruling temporarily halting the power supply agreement (PSA) between San Miguel Corporation (SMC) and Meralco for 60 days.
Bilyonaryo Ramon Ang’s power unit sought to put the PSA with Meralco on hold after the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) rejected its request for a modest rate hike due to rising costs and exchange rate fluctuations.
In a rare move, Marcos issued a statement saying the CA’s decision could cause inconvenience to consumers.
“This is just plain wrong: the head of the executive branch just doesn’t intervene or comment on a decision or an action of the judicial branch,” Manila Times columnist Rigoberto Tiglao said.
Tiglao wondered why Marcos appeared to be employing a double standard, citing the absence of an arrest warrant against former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag, who’s facing murder charges in connection with broadcaster Percy Lapid’s killing.
“But he hasn’t bothered to ask the Justice department — which is under the executive branch — why it hasn’t issued or can’t issue an arrest order against former Bureau of Corrections head Gerald Bantag, who has been publicly tagged, directly or indirectly, accurately or inaccurately for several weeks now as the alleged mastermind of the killing of journalist Percival Mabasa,” he added. “Where does Marcos intend to take the country to?”
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