The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) investigation into the complaint of Mayor Jerry Treñas against the old franchise-less utility Panay Electric Co. (PECO) should be fast-tracked.

This was the request of Iloilo City’s lone representative and party-list representative at the House of Representatives to conclude as soon as possible the investigation due to the electric company’s alleged failure to address the numerous incidents of fire involving its electricity poles.

Iloilo City Rep. Julienne Baronda said Mayor Treñas acted correctly in asking Malacanang to investigate PECO and the incidents of electricity pole catching fire allegedly caused by old transformers and overloaded wires.

Baronda said she was alarmed by the report of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to Treñas that PECO’s failure to maintain the quality of its distribution equipment like transformers and their overloaded old electricity wires in the city’s streets caused nine incidents of fire over three days from 19 to 21 October alone.

The complaint against the utility company was filed with the Office of the President after it repeatedly failed to act on his office’s verbal and formal requests to act on the Ilonggos’ complaint against its burning electricity poles and exploding distribution assets.

The solon urged the ERC to look into the matter with dispatch to avert any further fire incident.

She said a formal ERC finding that proves PECO’s fault because of its failure to do maintenance and replace its aged distribution equipment and could be enough basis for the ERC to cancel its two-year provisional certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) or permit to operate.

On the other hand, PBA Partylist Rep. Jericho Jonas B. Nograles, vice-chairman of the House Committee on Energy, said the ERC should exercise its power and responsibility to protect consumer interests as requested by Mayor Treñas.