President Rodrigo Duterte siding with Department of Energy (DOE) officials on the alleged questionable approval of the Udenna-Chevron deal on the sale of Malampaya Consortium shares was not surprising but still unacceptable, Senator Risa Hontiveros said Monday.
The Senate resolution recommending charges against Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and other officials over the approval of the Udenna-Chevron Malampaya Consortium shares deal was submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman.
Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi on Friday said he was ready to face charges after a Senate resolution recommending the filing of lawsuits against him and other officials reached the Office of the Ombudsman.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday threw his support behind embattled Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi after senators called for criminal charges to be filed against the Cabinet official over the Malampaya deal.
In his privilege speech, Gatchalian said Cusi and key officials of the DOE are “criminally and administratively liable for graft, gross neglect of duty, and grave misconduct and should immediately resign from their posts,” “for railroading the approval of the sale of participating interest of Chevron in Malampaya gas field.”