Taguig RTC grants TRO vs bidding for 1000 MW power supply
THE Taguig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Wednesday issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against Manila Electric Company (Meralco), stopping it from conducting bidding for additional power supply of 600MW and 400MW.
Through a temporary restraining order (TRO) valid for 72 hours, the court granted the plea to stop the power distributor’s “competitive selection process.”
“Wherefore, acting on the basis of the allegations of the plaintiffs and on the strength of the evidence as presented in the complaint . . . the plaintiffs’ application for a 72-hour Temporary Restraining Order is hereby granted, subject to posting of bond,” the order stated.
“Upon posting a TRO bond which is hereby fixed in the amount of five million pesos (P5,000,000), let a Temporary Restraining Order effective for 72 hours be issued in favor of the plaintiffs-applicants enjoining the respondent Manila Electric Company from conducting its competitive bidding selection process (CSP), under its current Terms of Reference, including the receipt of bids, the award and the implementation of any award arising from (it),” the RTC said.
The RTC order effectively stopped Meralco’s invitation to Bid Contract Capacity of 600 MW, effective September 2025 whose bid submission deadline is scheduled on August 2, 2024 at 9 am, including all other that may be scheduled after, as well as its invitation to Bid Contract Capacity of 400MW, effective September 2025.
The petitioners sought the issuance of the 72-hour temporary restraining order (TRO) against Meralco prior to a permanent injunction.
Without a TRO, the petitioners stressed that the bidding would proceed and render the case moot. The Meralco CSPs for the new power supplies are scheduled on August 2 for the 600 MW and September 3 for the 400 MW.
The petitioners also pleaded the court to issue a 20-day TRO enjoining defendant Meralco from conducting the CSP, including the award or the implementation of the award arising from the bidding of the 600 MW and 400 MW power supply deals of the distribution utility.
