We, the the people of the Philippines, denounce in the strongest terms  the forced, unconstitutional  takeover of the  Main Office of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) at South Drive, Baguio City, by a certain Atty.  Omar Mayo, Atty., Marie Rafael, the National Electrification Administration (NEA), et. al.,  in the company of members of the Philippine National Police- Cordillera Administrative Region (PNP-CAR).

The forced takeover of the BENECO main building occurred in the dead of night of October 18, 2021.

Those who forcibly took over the main office of the electric cooperative  of Baguio-Benguet refused  bonafide  employees of BENECO  to enter the building and perform their assigned tasks, thereby endangering  other institutions like  emergency hospitals, clinics, construction sites, as well as other entities both private and government -run, the assurance of  electrical energy  piped into their systems.

We condemn in the strongest terms how the NEA has shown to Filipinos it will go to any length to pervert the law, at the cost of the rights of  BENECO Member-Consumer Owners in particular and other Filipinos in general, as well by disregarding or trampling on their rights.

BENECO MCOs will continue mustering its forces  to peacefully, repeat, peacefully countering the forced takeover through peaceful rallies and demonstrations  until their actions  will get the attention of the Committee of Energy of the Philippine Congress and Philippine Senate to look into the matter.

BENECO MCOs request people of the Philippines to stand united with them in their PEACEFUL quest  for what is just and right. 

This is the  defining moment of people of the Philippines to stand up in unity  for what they believe is their right to  manage their own  electric cooperatives through  representatives they have voted  to uphold their interests. 

This is the defining moment, also,  whereby people of the Philippines become  model of inspiration to   electric cooperatives in the Philippines also fighting for their rights  under the relentless  grab of NEA.

This is the defining moment  whereby NEA will understand  the  character of Filipinos  that  their strength of attitude is a strength of character  and they will not stand idle  and let NEA mangle  their rights to manage  their own affairs - their electric cooperatives.

On this score, we, the Filipino people willfully affix  our signatures  for this petition.