DOE's Reyes studying offer to represent party-list group

Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes admitted on Monday that he is studying an offer to represent a party-list transport group. At a hearing of the House energy committee on rotating brownouts in Mindanao, Reyes even jokingly told congressmen and resource person to "remember" the party-list 1-Utak, which he said is offering to make him their nominee for the May 10 polls. "There is this offer, this gracious invitation from this party-list for me to join them. This invitation was extended to me by no less than one of your colleagues, the distinguished, most respected, honorable, patriotic Vigor Mendoza of 1-Utak--please remember that," he said, eliciting laughter from those present. "The offer is there so I am studying it. I am trying to ascertain how loud the clamor from the transport sector is for me to represent them," said Reyes, although he clarified that he has not received a formal invitation from 1-Utak yet. Reyes made the statement after Parañaque City Rep. Roilo Golez expressed his concern that Reyes might leave the DOE at a time when it is facing a dire power situation. "I'm worried about continuity," Golez said. "There are two possibilities here: either he does not run under party-list or he resigns right now to allow a new secretary to take over and manage this on a more steady basis, instead of a secretary who will be departing in midstream." Reyes assured that there are "very, very capable people" in the DOE who can replace him if the need arises. Party-lists are not required to submit their list of nominees until March 26. Under Section 9 of Republic Act 7941 or the Party-list System Act, any nominee for a party-list representative should be a member of the party-list at least 90 days before the election. Reyes admitted in an interview with reporters after the hearing that he is a member of 1-Utak. An alarmed Golez later said the Energy chief's stay at the DOE might pose conflict of interest. "His stay as energy secretary poses a clear conflict of interest because 1-Utak is a transport-related group, a player in oil products price and supply issues which are within the jurisdiction of the energy secretary," Golez said in a text message. Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal has earlier said appointive officials being eyed to represent party-lists in Congress should resign once they accept the nomination. Resolution 8769 says party-list nominees who are holding public appointive office shall be considered ipso facto resigned upon acceptance of their nomination, he said. - RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV