Rama, city lawyers deny forced entry at MCWD
CEBU CITY (April 17, 2024) – The City intervened on the ongoing fiasco involving the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) to protect the public from mismanagement and alleged corruption.
Mayor Mike Rama said that consumers continue to suffer as long as MCWD will not heed to the mandate of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).
“Why should we be withdrawing when water is life and LWUA is (a part of) the national government?” Rama said in a press conference at his office today.
The mayor said he complied with LWUA’s request for assistance to secure MCWD because the continuing defiance of its suspended officials has affected its consumers.
He also urged Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia to convince Atty. Joey Daluz and the suspended MCWD officials to “submit to the rule of law.”
“Governor, ayaw na sila hatagi og assurance,” the mayor exclaimed.
“Those people over there say at one time that they will respect LWUA, now they will defy. Where is the rule of law? Do they have another rule of law they are observing?” he added.
Rama continues to hope that Garcia will see reason as the governor is a law graduate and comes from a well-known family of lawyers.
The mayor also reiterated his call to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos to intervene on the fiasco especially that MCWD’s consumers are now being affected.
“Mr. President, we are in good faith here, but there are people who are in bad faith,” Rama added.
Bad precedence
Lawyer Jerone Castillo, city budget officer and one of Rama’s legal consultants, said MCWD’s refusal to be investigated also sets a bad example to other local water districts under LWUA’s watch.
Castillo said what MCWD did will only empower erring officials of local water districts to not comply with the state water regulator’s mandate.
“If LWUA is there to supervise and monitor all local water districts, not just MCWD, unsa may message i-send ani sa other local water districts nga mismong regulator dili man tuohan sa district?” he told reporters.
“That is setting a really bad precedent. There is no more rule of law. There is no more regard of existing rules,” he added.
Castillo urged the suspended MCWD officials to go to court to question LWUA’s authority rather to grandstand.
“Ipabutang na on record, not here but in a proper forum which is the court of law,” he said.
“At the end of the day, it is about respect sa balaod nato. Once we do not start respecting atong authority o’ balaod, that is already anarchy in its place,” he added.
No forced entry
City administrator Collin Rosell denied allegations that he and his personnel ransacked the water district when they secured the building on Monday, April 15.
Rosell said he acted on the request of then acting MCWD general manager Atty. John DX Lapid for the city government to help him secure the water district so that the LWUA can start its investigation.
He said that Lapid and Interim Board of Directors (IBOD) member Rey Tambis were with city personnel to help the then acting MCWD GM to assume office.
Even local police were present at the time when they secured the MCWD building, Rosell said.
“Dili pagpangawat, dili pagpalungkab among tuyo didto kung dili pagtuman sa klarong legal nga mando. Dili tagna-tagna, dili sentimento kon dili pagtubag sa dugay nang gipaabot sa katawhan,” Rosell said.
“Dili ra legal (among presence sa MCWD) but also moral as well,” he added.
On Lapid’s resignation
Castillo also did not minced words when reporters asked his reaction to Atty. Lapid’s resignation as acting MCWD GM.
“Sobra pa sa nalain. Ikaw ba? Nihanyo ka (nga kuyogan ka namo to secure MCWD). We are placing our lives at risk there. Pag-abot didto niingon pa siya ipasiguro nga dili kasulod si Joey Daluz et. al,” an emotional Castillo said.
“Ikaw mismo ha requesting all of us and then ang mahitabo moingon dayun ka nga resign ko. What message does it send to LWUA and all the people you asked help from?” he added.
Rosell, however, was more forgiving as the City did not fail to assist Lapid in his installation as acting general manager.
“Wala ko nalain kay successful man nga na-install nato siya. Malain diay ka nga bisan og ingun-ana, imu man siyang nabutang?” he said.
“Now kay naa man siya sa iyang gingharian pero gihatag man niya sa lain, so atong punto nako, kung asa siya malipayon, lipay ra gihapon ko. Pero naguol ko para sa katawhan. Ngano man? Klaro man na nganong gibutang siya diha. Kung wala siya kasabot ana, ato lang siyang pasayloon,” he added. | PPRMN / jkv
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