MANILA - Batanes Electric Cooperative on Thursday denied it received 10 million pesos in funding during the year 2000 through a special allotment release order as alleged by Janet Napoles. In a statement, the coop said the allegation is without factual basis. "The BATANELCO was never a recipient of a Ten million peso (Php10,000,000.00) fund with SARO, contrary to the allegation of Janet Napoles in her statement. Secretary (Butch) Abad and BATANELCO have been collaborating since 1989 to provide stable and adequate electricity supply to the people of Batanes," it said. The coop went on to enumerate the various subsidies it received that year that came from the National Electrification Administration but none was in the amount of P10 million. It added that since 1989 when it began operating, there has never been an instance where irregularities and anomalies were committed. The coop's officers also said they personally know Abad as an honest man with a very simple lifestyle. "We are natural born natives of Batanes and we personally know Secretary Abad as a very simple, honest and prudent man living a very simple lifestyle and never known as a corrupt." ANC DATELINE PHILIPPINES, May 29, 2014