Albay cops forcibly accost Vince Casilihan (third from left), spokesperson of Karapatan-Bicol and staunce critic of the privatization of Albay Electric Cooperative or Aleco, yesterday, Feb. 24. Casilihan was arrested along with lawyer Bart Rayco, chairman of Aleco Multi-Sectoral Stakeholders’ Organization (Amsso) and a member of National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL-Bicol), Hernan Certeza of Kilusang Mayo Uno-Bicol, and Karl Anthony Canata of Youth Act Now at around 1:45 PM by around 30 police elements upon the order of P/Supt. Rommel De La Rama, Legazpi City PNP Chief of Police. Amsso and other progressive groups have been protesting against the Aleco turnover to a San Miguel Corp. subsidiary, blocking its office entrances, engaging in dialogues and conducting protest actions.
Kung kaya nagmungkahi ang AMSSO: kasama sa itinutulak nilang pagtugon sa problemang piskal ng Aleco ang Cooperative-to-Cooperative (C2C) Partnership Plan, na isang praktika ng pagtutulungan sa pagitan ng mga kooperatiba, para masolusyonan ang problemang piskal ng Aleco na sanhi umano ngpower outages sa probinsiya at idinadahilan ng manedsment para ipasok ang SMC.