04/06/2026
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GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Consumer advocates have filed a lawsuit in the Regional Trial Court here seeking to block a proposed joint venture agreement between the South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative and Ignite Power.
The petition asks the court to issue a temporary restraining order and declare several board-approved resolutions null and void.
Atty. Virgilio Alconera, one of the complainants in the case, alleged that the cooperative's board of directors passed the measures under undue pressure from the National Electrification Administration.
Alconera characterized the contested resolutions as "fruits of the poisonous tree."
“Those resolutions of the Board of Directors are illegal because they violate the vested rights of the MCOs,” he said.
The legal challenge escalates months of tension over the energy pact. Member-consumers, community groups, and local stakeholders have criticized the deal, citing concerns over corporate governance, transparency, and the future control of the utility.
Alconera and his group are utilizing the legal dispute to advocate for converting SOCOTECO II into a cooperative registered under the Cooperative Development Authority.
He noted that a court victory would not immediately resolve the utility's long-term issues, stating that member-consumers must still approve any structural change through a formal referendum.
The cooperative faces additional pressure from local lawmakers. The General Santos City Council recently approved an urgent resolution authorizing the local legislature to pursue separate legal and administrative actions against the proposed partnership.
Representatives for SOCOTECO II and Ignite Power did not immediately comment on the filing.
