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The real speaker
ARINDUQUE Rep. Lord
Allan Jay Velasco contin-
ues to drum up publicity
forhis speakership bid by
claiming to have sponsored, coordi-
nhted, or organized many events for
President Duterte.
The neophlte Velasco has resorted
to poftraying himself as a close "fierd"
of presidential daughter Davao City
Maj/dr Sara Duterte carpio.
.Velasco has one thing goingfor him
to bag the speakership. Ilis wife wen
is closely associated with billionaire
.businessman Ramon Ang, president
and CEO of corporate giant San Miguel
Coryoration.
Ang's proposed Bulacan Airport
had to undergo a Swiss Challenge.
SMC's South Premiere Power Corp.
(SPPC), the administrator of the lligan
Power Plant in Batangas, is contesting
the claim by the Power Sector Assets
and Liabilities Management (PSALM)
Coryr. ihat it still owes sqme P19.75 bil-
lion to the state-owned firm.
SPPC has the largest unpaid obli-
gation pending wilh PSALM, the over-
u r.6ge -9
due account representing a ihird of the
P59.2 billion that independent power
producer administrators (IPPAS) and
electric cooperatives combined owe
PSALM,
Ang claims that SMC has already
paid about F290 billion in various {ees
as of end-April to PSALM. He has tak-
en the issue to court, accusingPSALM
of "willful breach of contract."
PSAI-M, however, wodt budge from
its position that South Premiere owes
it F19.6dtillion in unpaid dues. SPPC's
default and breach of contractual
obligatious, particularly the undetpay-
ment of amount due to government
was a subject of the Commission on
Audit's adverse findings that also
prompted PSALM to terminate the
agreeinent.
Ang needs strong political connec-
tions to protect SPPC and his other
business interests. He is funding the
Nalionalist People's Coalition (NPC).
ln tbe'17th Congress. Velasco was
the chairman of the House Committee
on energy in the l?th Congress. Ang
could exert influence on the chamber
and its 300 or so. members if Velasco is
chosen speaker
t'