By Perfecto T. Raymundo
MANILA, Feb. 18 (PNA) — The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday extended until April 22, 2014 the temporary restraining order (TRO) against the P4.15 per kilowatt-hour power rate hike of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco).
The 60-day TRO was supposed to expire on Feb. 23, 2014.
The SC acted on the “Urgent Motion for Extensionof the TRO and/or Preliminary Injunction” filed by petitioners seeking to restrain respondents Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and Meralco from implementing the rate hike during the pendency of the petitions.
The petitioners also earlier asked the SC to enjoin the imposition or collection by respondent Generation Companies (GenCos) and suppliers of the generation charges subject of the petitions.
During the SC en banc, the justices decided toextend the existing TRO for an additional 60 days from its expiration or until April 22, 2014.
The SC granted the TRO effective immediately and for a period ending April 22, 2014 enjoining the generating companies, specifically Masinloc Power Partners Co., Ltd., San Miguel Energy Corp., South Premiere Power Corp., First Gas Power Corp., and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) from demanding and collecting the deferred amounts representing the affected costs based on the matters raised on Meralco’s Dec. 5, 2013 letter.
The new TRO also enjoined the Philippine ElectricityMarket Corporation (PEMC) from demanding and collecting the deferred amounts representing the affected costs based on the matters raised in Meralco’s Dec. 5, 2013 letter. (PNA)