No Need to Give Arroyo Emergency Powers–Solons

MANILA, Philippines—Lawmakers Sunday said there was no need for Congress to grant President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo emergency powers to deal with the power crisis because existing laws already vested her with vast powers to meet such contingencies.

Sen. Joker Arroyo, interviewed over dzBB radio, pointed out that the Constitution and the franchises of businesses grant the President powers to temporarily take over power companies and direct their operations “in times of national emergency when the public interest so requires.”

That’s why there is no need for Congress to grant the Chief Executive such powers, Arroyo said. “The power is already there.”

Sen. Edgardo Angara, interviewed separately by over the same station, said there was an urgent need to solve the power crisis, particularly with the elections coming up, but he agreed with Arroyo that there were sufficient laws to respond to the crisis.

The power crisis should not be used as a basis for declaring emergency rule, Angara said.

Speaker Prospero Nograles said the President’s take over powers might not even be necessary.

“(The President) can just declare a state of calamity in case of a power failure and authorize the use of the (P12 billion) calamity fund to solve the crisis. The executive branch already has sufficient powers under our energy laws to address and take concrete actions if they know their law,” Nograles said.

Talk things over first

Arroyo said a takeover of power firms should be done only after the government talks to the utility firms concerned.

“They should talk things over...in other words, cooperation is needed. This is needed so that we don’t lose power, especially during the election,” he said.

But he said the government could direct or coordinate the operations of the power plants.

A Joint Congressional Power Commission is scheduled to meet in the Senate today to discuss the dwindling power supply situation, particularly in Mindanao.

The President’s son, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo, also said his mother should only use her emergency powers as her “last option” in solving the power crisis in Mindanao.

“It must the last option. We must first explore other options,” said the young Arroyo, who chairs the House committee on energy, in a phone interview.

He said Mindanao authorities should first try to solve the problem on their own with power suppliers in the region before seeking help from the executive branch.

“It’s difficult to rush into these things, especially with the way people cast suspicions on our motives. People should realize that the proposal to give my mother emergency powers came from the opposition,” he said.

Source: INQUIRER