SAN MANUEL–The move to make San Roque Dam and National Power Corporation (NPC) and its officers accountable for the massive flooding in the province further gains momentum.

Fifth District Rep. Mark Cojuangco added his voice for the filing of a class suit against the San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC) and the NPC for lapses in judgment at the height of Typhoon Pepeng last month which aggravated the flooding of most parts of Pangasinan.

Cojuangco has urged Vice Governor Marlyn Agabas to initiate an inventory of all the damages suffered to back up their charges that should be filed in court.

He said that mayors of the 5th district have pledged to support the court action.

At the same time, Cojuangco is seeking a joint House of Representatives and Senate resolution to compel both the NPC and the SRPC to honor their protocol.

Cojuangco repeated this call when he appeared during the continuation of hearings on the cause of the flood in Pangasinan in mid October by the Senate committee on Climate Change headed by Senator Loren Legarda held in San Roque.

Peeved by the claim of Alexander Palada, manager of the Agno Flood Forecasting and Warning System for Dam Operation, absolving Napocor from any accountability in the flood, Cojuangco said a joint House and Senate resolution will have the force of law to ensure that the two agencies will honor their protocol.

At one point in the hearing, Cojuangco questioned why the NPC waited for the water in San Roque’s reservoir to reach 282 meters above sea level when it could have released it when it was just at 278.

He hinted that Napocor may have been saving the water so it would have plenty to use for power generation during the summer months.

Taking a swipe on Palada who said they waited for the water to reach 282 meters because that was provided for in the protocol, the congressman retorted they could have been more flexible considering the erratic behavior of Typhoon “Pepeng”.

Cojuangco also noted that SRPC, through its president Ryukichi Yawaguchi and Senior Vice President William Connel, were just washing their hands when they repeatedly said they only implement what is ordered to them by the NPC.

Cojuangco’s proposal for a joint resolution of the House and the Senate was accepted by Senator Legarda.

Both lawmakers believe a new protocol for the release of water based on people’s safety from the San Roque is imperative to save lives and properties in Pangasinan.

An interim protocol has been provided but Legarda’s committee gave Napocor until November 30 to submit a permanent one.

According to Cojuangco, the new protocol should establish a maximum release rate of water and would adopt preemptive strategy to ensure that the recent massive flood will not be repeated.

He said that the protocol must set very clear instructions that are transparent to all, including the media, specifying at what point the dam may release water in order to minimize floods downstream.—LM

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