Rafael persona non grata; theft, carnapping charges filed against her, NEA exec

                                                           Ana Mare Rafael (ifted from newsinfo.inquirer.net)

BAGUIO CITY -- Still smarting from the forced takeover of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) office here in South Drive to oust him, general manager Melchor Licoben slapped lawyers Ana Maria Paz Rafael and Omar Mayo with several criminal charges before the city prosecutor’s office on Nov. 11.
    This, as the Benguet Provincial Board declared Rafael persona non grata Monday over her role in the management controversy of Beneco.  
    Licoben, appointed by the Beneco board of directors as Beneco GM April last year, said there were several Beneco properties that were either damaged or went missing during the Oct. 18-19 takeover that saw the Rafael camp wrest some of the functions of the electric cooperative.
    The member consumer owners and the employees, however, took back the office in a People Power inspired mass action on Oct. 20. 
    The Beneco board, headed by lawyer Esteban Somngi, approved the filing of the 18 page complaint sworn before Merly Espinosa, assistant city prosecutor.
    Mayo, the NEA designated Beneco project supervisor, and Rafael, the GM designated by the NEA Board of Administrators, were sued for theft, malicious mischief, grave coercion and carnapping. 
    The two were charged of theft for some equipment taken from the management information and communication office including a smart switch worth P20,000. They were also charged for some missing linemen materials ranging from rachet wrenches to bolt cutters.
    A separate charge for carnapping was filed for the missing Toyota Hi-ace van  bearing plate no. ACX 1525. The van was spotted parked at the Baguio Cathedral grounds on Oct. 21 without its Beneco sticker and vehicle plate.
    “At the time of the taking, these items were kept in the MICS room of Beneco. No one among the employees had access to these items because first, they were prevented entry by Atty. Mayo and Atty. Rafael. Second, it was them who ordered the armed men to access the Beneco rooms where these items were stored,” the complaint said, referring to the items taken from the electric cooperative’s main communication room.
    The complaint, which named the other respondents as John Does and Jane Does since their identities cannot yet be determined, also made special mention of heavily armed policemen who took a CCTV recorder out of the MICS.
Licoben also accused the two of malicious mischief for destroying the ignition switches of nine service vehicles.
    Mayo and Rafael are expected to submit their counter affidavit within 10 days once they receive copies of the complaint.   
In La Trinidad, Benguet , the provincial board on Monday (Nov. 8) declared Rafael persona non grata (unwelcome) in Benguet after the recent armed takeover of the power utility serving the province and Baguio City.
    Voting 13 in favor and one abstention, the provincial board issued a resolution for the declaration.
    Vice Gov. Johnny Waguis said Rafael lied when she told the board during the Nov. 3 session that she arrived at the headquarters of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) in South Drive around 7 a.m. during the takeover on Oct. 18
Waguis said video footage with time stamps showed that Rafael was at the compound as early as 5 a.m.
    Licoben, who assumed the leadership of Beneco by succession and appointment by the Beneco Board of Directorsr, was slapped a 90-day preventive suspension by the NEA, along with Beneco’s board president and six directors, who voted to reject Rafael’s appointment due to her alleged ineligibility.
    Lawyer Omar Mayo, legal officer of NEA, designated by the regulator as Beneco “caretaker,” had also been declared persona non grata in Benguet last week.
    Mayo reportedly led the forcible takeover of the Beneco office backed by NEA-deputized policemen.
    During the provincial board session last week, Rafael was asked why she should not be declared persona non grata, to which she replied: “up to you to decide.”
    The board also asked her if she could give way and respect the public clamor, Rafael said: “I just want to work … unless and until my appointment is annulled, I need to work as the general manager.”
    In an interview last week, Board Member Juan Nazaro said they did not initially include Rafael in the persona non grata declaration saying they still had to verify her statement that she was not present during the armed takeover.
    To date Beneco member-consumer-owners are having 24-hour daily vigils at its main headquarters here in South Drive to prevent appointees of the NEA from taking over the power firm.
    The 13 board members who declared Mayo and Rafael PNG included Florencio V. Bentrez, Juan M. Nazarro,Robert Namoro, Jim Botiwey, Neptali B. Camsol, Ruben E. Paoad, Roberto K, Canuto, Fernando M. Balaodan Sr., Nestor B. Fongwan Jr.  Jeston S. Balong-angey and Melchor C. Guesey.
    Board Member Bernard Waclin abstained saying he preferred that lawsuits be filed against Mayo and Rafael, who is former assistant secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office, if needed.
    Mayo was earlier declared persona non grata by the Baguio City Council during its Oct. 23 session, also after launching its own inquiry into the deputization of police officers to help break into the Beneco building at the city’s South Drive before 3 a.m.
    Members of the city council said they did not declare Rafael PNG as she was a Baguio resident.
    Board Member Nazaro, who sponsored the Benguet PNG resolution, said Mayo disrespected customs and traditions of Benguet’s Ibaloy, Kankaney and Kalanguya residents when he led the violent takeover of the power utility serving Baguio and Benguet.
    The Provincial Board of Benguet also passed a resolution condemning the Oct. 18 raid-like takeover. – With a report from Kimberlie Quitasol