DAVAO CITY (April 10) — A simmering power struggle over Island Garden City of Samal is escalating, with Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (Nordeco) accusing Davao Light and Power Company of stretching a court order beyond its legal limits.
At the center of the dispute is a Writ of Possession issued by a Regional Trial Court in Panabo City—a legal instrument that allows Davao Light to take control of certain distribution assets on the island.
But Nordeco insists the scope is clear—and limited.
“The writ covers only 26 distribution assets in 26 barangays—not the entire island,” the cooperative said in a statement on April 7, warning that any broader implementation would be “unjust and misleading.”
The cooperative’s pushback came after what it described as a “misleading” public messaging from Davao Light, which recently told Samal residents that it is now the sole electricity provider on the island and the only entity authorized to collect payments.
Law vs. Interpretation
The conflict traces back to Republic Act No. 12144, which expanded Davao Light’s franchise to include parts of Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro, including Samal. The law set the stage for a transition—potentially involving the takeover of Nordeco’s infrastructure.
Armed with the law, a provisional clearance from the Energy Regulatory Commission, and the writ, Davao Light has moved to assert control.
Nordeco, however, argues the transition is far from settled. Several of its legal challenges remain pending, meaning the case has yet to reach finality.
Consumers Caught in the Middle
For residents and businesses in Samal, the dispute is more than legal—it’s practical.
Davao Light has advised customers that bills for electricity consumed starting February 26 should now be paid to the company, with new billing statements expected in April. Nordeco, meanwhile, continues to assert its role in areas not covered by the writ.
The result: confusion over who to pay, who supplies power, and who holds legitimate authority.
Standoff with Stakes
Despite competing claims, both utilities say they are committed to keeping the lights on. But the overlapping mandates—and conflicting interpretations of the same court order—underscore deeper tensions in the transition of one of Mindanao’s most strategic and fast-developing areas.
For now, the battle over Samal’s power grid is as much about legal boundaries as it is about public trust—one that may ultimately be settled not in statements, but in court.
