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Dimalanta back as ERC chair as Ombudsman takes back suspension

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Pia Gutierrez

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA (UPDATE) - Malacañang has reinstated Dimalanta as Chairperson and CEO of the Energy Regulatory Commission after the Office of the Ombudsman lifted its August 20 preventive suspension order against the official.</p><p>Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin confirmed Dimalanta&#x27;s reinstatement to the agency in an October 30 memorandum addressed to her.</p><p>Dimalanta was slapped with a six-month suspension by the Ombudsman in August after a complaint was filed against her by the National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reforms Inc over her alleged inaction and &quot;failure to resolve&quot; various petitions and complaints. The Ombudsman then said Dimalanta was suspended &quot;to prevent any prejudice if she remained in office and from “further committing malfeasance and/or misfeasance in office.”</p><p>The ERC however said the anti-graft body found that there was no longer any ground to justify the imposition of a preventive suspension.</p><p>&quot;Therefore a preventive suspension is no longer necessary,&quot; the ERC said quoting the Ombudsman.</p><p>While Dimalanta was suspended Malacañang named Justice Undersecretary Jesse Hermogenes Andres as officer-in-charge of the agency.</p><p>The ERC said it welcomes the decision of the Ombudsman as this would ensure stability within the agency and the energy industry as a whole. The agency also thanked Andres for steering the regulatory body during Dimalanta&#x27;s suspension.</p><p>Dimalanta meanwhile expressed gratitude for her reinstatement.</p><div><span data-teams="true" id="isPasted"><span dir="ltr"></span></span></div><p>“I am grateful for the Order of the Ombudsman lifting the preventive suspension. Nakabalik po ako sa opisina kanina at nagsimula nang aralin ang mga nangyari sa ERC over the last 51 days,” she said.</p><p>“I feel energized to work even harder to implement the reforms we started, kapalit ng lahat ng suportang ating natanggap hanggang tayo’y nakabalik,” Dimalanta added.</p><div></div><p>The ERC is mandated to promote competition and market development, ensure customer choice and prevent and penalize abuse of market power.</p><p>- With a report from Alvin Elchico, ABS-CBN News</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eU6EsqpGqlY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Quoting a decision by the Ombudsman, the ERC said that the anti-graft body issued an order dated Oct. 22 that the preventive suspension on Dimalanta had been lifted.</p>

Quoting a decision by the Ombudsman, the ERC said that the anti-graft body issued an order dated Oct. 22 that the preventive suspension on Dimalanta had been lifted.