DAGUPAN Electric Corporation (Decorp) may be the top business taxpayer in the city, but that is not stopping the local government of Dagupan from suing the company over the transfer and use of a electric meter.

City Administrator Farah Decano has recommended to Mayor Belen Fernandez legal action against Decorp for turning down the mayor’s letter of request for the transfer of a city-owned electric meter located at the former MC Adore Hotel for no valid reason.

She maintained it is the right of the cty government as the customer to seek the transfer of a meter registered under it for whatever legitimate reasons it may have and cannot be subjected to Decorp’s perceived legal problems.

Decano said she recommended legal action against Decorp in a letter she prepared to be signed by the mayor because the refusal is tantamount to a violation of the terms of commercial contract that Decorp signed with the city government as customer.

Fernandez said she has sent notice to City Legal Officer George Mejia to review Decano’s recommendation before signing the letter.

Fernandez had requested for the transfer of the meter, previously used by the police station that was located in the old hotel premises, to the Malimgas Public Market.

The meter is currently being used by Citystate Savings Bank reportedly without authority from the city government when it began operating at the ground floor of MC Adore. AMB ALC Holdings & Management Corp., one of the owners the bank, acquired ownership of the hotel property early this year.

Decano, who received Decorp’s letter turning  down the request of Fernandez, said the electric company declined the mayor’s request on the basis of  a pending complaint for libel filed by Citystate Savings Bank against Dominador Liwag Jr.. the company’s retail service manager, and eight staffers of The Sunday PUNCH before the City Prosecutors Office in Pasig City.

Fernandez sought the transfer of the electric meter to the Malimgas Market to provide sufficient lighting for the Fiesta Baratillo at Galvan Street.

Atty. Randy Castilan,  lawyer of Decorp, speaking during the KBP forum on Thursday, acknowledged that the electric meter, owned by Decorp, is under the name of the city as customer.

However, in an interview with The PUNCH last Friday, Castilan said while the reason initially offered for the refusal was on account of the libel case, a technical problem also prevented Decorp from complying with the request.

He said the specific request for the transfer of the meter to Malimgas market posed a violation of company policy since Malimgas is already metered, and no establishment can be metered twice.

Decano said Decorp offered instead to provide a temporary meter to the Baratillo, an option that the city was not prepared to accept. — LVM

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