I thought Malacanang entirely dislikes Congressional investigations. It always jeered and mocked investigations of that sort and brand it as “in aid of grandstanding”, in aid of 2010”, “in aid of publicity.”
But what about this report that Senate Committee on Energy headed by Miriam Saniago and its counterpart committee in the house chaired by no less than presidential son Mike Arroyo will jointly conduct an investigation into the alleged overpricing by Meralco. Like how they chide other Senate investigations adverse to their interest, I ask them why conduct a probe on the overprice. What law they have in mind to pass after the conduct of this investigation. Does the investigation result in the lowering the rates of electricity charged by Meralco? Can not the ERC take care of this matter?
This proposed probe on Meralco should be look with a critical eye by the discerning public. Meralco is owned by the Lopezes. It’s the sister company of ABS CBN, the only remaining network that is relatively critical to the administration after ABC 5 toned down its more independent broadcasting. Like the old ways of Ferdinand Marcos, Gloria Arroyo wants to follow the trail of the former by using Meralco in one or the other of reining the independent broadcasting of ABS-CBN.
If they can somehow “disturb” Meralco, the Lopezes will be hard pressed to tone down its media tirades against the administration. In worst case scenario, ABS-CBN will be turned into a government zombie station going the ways of NBN, RPN and IBC 13. When the day will come that ABS CBN will be effectively controlled by the government, it will be 1971 all over again where media is controlled by the government. Our country will be back to zero. 1986 went for naught and soon everybody will realize that all the efforts of the Filipino to build a just, free, democratic and accountable society and government just went down the drain. Without a critical media or at least an independent media, government will run amuck. This may emboldened the present administration to execute an alternative plan for 2010 including a prolonged stay in Malacanang, not to mention the continuous violation and mockery of our laws to serve their agenda.
People should not fall into the latest populist stand of the government. Distribution of rice, providing cheap pan de sal and now cheaper electricity are attempts to get the sympathy of the of the increasing dissatisfied people. People should look into the real deal; high cost of prices for rice, fuel and other goods. Instead of focusing on Meralco and conducting Congressional investigations, the government should concentrate in solving the root cause of high prices in this particular case electricity.
At any rate, the government is bent on proceeding with the Congressional inquiry in aid of gaining public sympathy and maybe, just maybe, of finding a way to takeover Meralco the Marcosian way.
