BACOLOD CITY – The National Electrification Administration (NEA) has dismissed the case filed by two complainants against six officials of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco).

NEA Administrator Edita S. Bueno, based on the report of the NEA Administration Committee dated February 2012, recommended the dismissal of the administrative case for gross misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the cooperative, non-compliance with the NEA issuances, removal and disqualification lodged against board directors Michael Maravilla, Roberto Montelibano, Luis Cuenca, and Jacinto Torres Jr., general manager Sulpicio Lagarde Jr., and former board president Edward Gasambelo.

The complaint, filed by former director Jobert Tagobader, and Rosendo Locsin III, was dismissed for lack of cause of action and/or for failure to exhaust administrative remedies.

It stemmed from the disqualification of former District VI (Bago City) director Raul Alvarez from running for another term during the district elections on Sept. 25, 2010.

The Ceneco screening committee disqualified Alvarez for failing to secure a clearance from the Finance Department due to his accountability in the payment for back wages and other monetary claims awarded to Lagarde arising from a labor case filed by the latter against Alvarez and others. Alvarez's disqualification left now director Jacinto Torres as the lone candidate for director of Bago City.

The Regional Trial Court, however, granted Alvarez a temporary restraining order with a writ for preliminary injunction hence, the district election scheduled on Sept. 25, 2010 was stopped. However, on June 21, 2011, the court ruled that the preliminary injunction is deemed dissolved, recalled or cancelled and ordered the stalled elections to proceed. Since Torres was unopposed, he was declared the winner.

Tagobader and Locsin then filed a complaint before the NEA assailing the conduct of the election and citing the six Ceneco officials for violations stated in the dismissed administrative case.*NLG