A Department of Energy (DOE) official denied there were losses to the government because of alleged anomalies in the Malampaya project.

"There were no losses . There is no contract and the Department of Energy never, did not give any contract to Dennis Uy," Assistant Energy Secretary Gerardo Erguiza Jr. said during the ''Laging Handa'' public briefing on Thursday.

Erguiza made this comment after Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, Chevron Philippines Inc. executive Dennis Uy and other individuals were charged before the Office of the Ombudsman last Tuesday.

Cusi and the other suspects were charged with violation of RA3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for allegedly conspiring to give "unwarranted benefits and advantage" to Uy's Udenna Corporation and its subsidiary, UC Malampaya in the sale of Chevron's share and the transfer of rights in the Malampaya Project in Palawan which allegedly resulted to the P21 to P42 billion losses to the government.

Erguiza said the case filed against Cusi was not connected to his position as Energy Secretary but because of being the chairman of the board ng "Philippine National Oil Company Exploration Corporation".

He said the DOE welcomes the charge filed against Cusi as it will help him clear his name from the accusation against him.

"Actually this is a welcome event especially, as I told the Secretary, he was not charged as the Secretary, this case is related to his position as the chairman of the Philippine National Oil Company," said Erguiza.

"We welcome this, because this is an opportunity for the Secretary to clear his name. Because we see that, there are other groups that are interested and if they want to impute anything against the Secretary, go on, but you have to prove it, come out with your figures," he said.

"Tell us (the) law we have violated. As a lawyer also, I don’t think there is any law that was violated by the Secretary," he added. Robina Asido/DMS