NAGA CITY - Jane T. Barrameda, finance chief of Camarines Sur II Electric Cooperative (Casureco II), told the Bicol Mail she bluntly rejected the P10,000 share offered to her, from the P300,000 cash release which had been intended for an advocacy blitz that several directors pushed, two days before the end of the campaign period.

        Barrameda revealed that several directors of the Casureco II had been pushing for the release of fund to support the campaign of party-list Apec two months ago.

        But she said she blocked the move on the ground that power coops are prohibited by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to disburse fund for political purposes.

        Barrameda said that the board of directors changed the purpose to advocacy which was articulated in an approved resolution which finally conformed with the budgetary items of the Casureco II.

        She said a letter from the president of Bicol Electric Cooperative Association (Beca) was attached which completed the requirement to justify the release of P300,000 fund for the purpose of improving the image of the power coops.

        Barrameda said the documents and the transaction may have satisfied the legitimate process of fund release but she said there were weaknesses in the disbursement.

        She said she showed an official receipt from the Beca which supposedly made the provision of funds legitimate because she said the Beca’s president had requested all member-coops to share P300,000 to the so-called advocacy.

        Barrameda said the release of the P300,000 became immoral because in the actual process the money must be released and received first by the Beca then in turn the coop association must issue check before it can be cashed in and disbursed to people involved in carrying out the advocacy blitz.

        She said that process never happened which she said made the release of fund “immoral”.

        “The questions were how it was released and how it was used or will be used,” the finance chief here said.

        Barrameda said she learned the sharing when certain Chit Baloro, the general cashier under her department, phoned me that she was given P10,000 as share.

        She said she flatly rejected the offer which was allegedly ordered by Casureco II General Manager Pasumbal. She added that she instructed Balaoro to return the P10,000 to the Casureco II.

        Barrameda said the P10,000 that should had been her share from the P300,000 advocacy fund was already returned with a receipt.

        But she said that those who received the sharing from the P300,000 must use the funds for advocacy like ads placements in newspapers or other activities and materials relevant to building the image of the cooperative.

        Barrameda said that the funds must be liquidated with corresponding documents.


...board begs off comment

NAGA CITY - Larry Basmayor, the spokesperson of the Camarines Sur II Electric Cooperative Board of Directors, declined to comment on the revelations of the power coop’s finance chief regarding the release of P300,000 for advocacy.

        “We decline to give our comments or reactions regarding the allegations of Jane Barrameda (Casureco II finance chief) until a formal complaint has been filed,” Basmayor said.

        He said the issues against them raised through the local radio stations could only be resolved in the proper forum.

        “We will answer point by point whatever allegations against us but it will not resolve anything through the radio,” Basmayor said.

        Efren Bermillo, spokesperson of the Casureco II, only smiled when asked about the issues raised by Barrameda.

        “Relax lang,” Bermillo said when Bicol Mail asked him what was his reaction on the latest controversy hounding the power coop.