This stems from a case filed by the National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reforms Inc. (Nasecore)which accused Dimalanta of permitting Manila Electric Co. to source power from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market and charge consumers without securing required ERC approval.
This allegedly breached the Epira, which mandates regulatory oversight for such transactions to ensure fair pricing.
“The evidence on record shows that the guilt of respondent Dimalanta is strong and the charges against her involve grave misconduct, grave abuse of authority, gross neglect of duty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service which may warrant her removal from the service,” a portion of the Ombudsman order showed.
It added, “her continued stay in office may prejudice the case filed against her; and, to prevent her from further committing malfeasance and/or misfeasance in office, she is hereby placed under preventive suspension during the period of investigation but not more than six (6) months pursuant to Section 24 of Republic Act No. 6770.”
