First Philippine Holdings unit seek intl arbitration over silicon wafer venture

First Philippine Electric Corp. and First Philec Solar Corp. have asked  for arbitration over their dispute with SunPower Philippines Manufacturing Ltd. before the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce, according to a disclosure filed before the Philippine Stock Exchang on Friday.   First Philec Solar is an 80-20 joint venture of First Philec and SunPower established in 2008 to slice silicon wafer for SunPower.   "First Philec and SunPower have also alleged breaches by the other party of their joint venture agreement,” Francis Giles Puno, First Philippine Holdings Inc. chief information officer, told the PSE.   “First Philec and First Philippine Electric have initiated arbitration in order to enforce their rights under the joint venture agreement and the wafering supply and sales agreement, respectively," Puno said.   First Philec is a unit of First Philippine Holdings.   First Philec Solar inaugurated its facility – the first large-scale silicon wafer-slicing operation in the Philippines – at the First Philippine Industrial Park in Sto. Tomas, Batangas   Silicon wafer is a raw material for computer processors. — VS, GMA News