CEBU CITY (April 15, 2024) –The acting general manager of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) finally entered the water district a few hours after being prevented from doing so.
| 📷PPRMN / rcia
Lawyer John DX Lapid got inside MCWD past 1 p.m. today after he sought the assistance of the Cebu City Government, with the supervision of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).
Suspended MCWD board members arrived at the same office 30 minutes after.
City administrator Collin Rosell said he and City Hall personnel assisted Lapid after he and LWUA wrote separate letters to request for security.
“Usa man ni ka government institution og dunay may order gyud nga klaro. Unya ang gi-orderan mismo nga ma-install dinhi, nanghanyo nga mangayog tabag dinhi sa City Hall,” Rosell told reporters.
Rosell cited water crisis that the El Nino phenomenon triggered as a reason why he assisted Lapid.
He said City Hall staff are at MCWD to secure Lapid and members of the interim board of directors (iBOD) that LWUA appointed.
“Hasta mismo ang LWUA, nangayo na og tabang. So, kung mangayo gani og tabang, kung unsa’y mahitabo ana, liable ta kay naa man ta sa panerbisyo. So, dili ta kaingon nga atong biyaan,” he explained.
Rosell clarified that City Hall’s presence did not mean to disrupt work at MCWD.
He said City Hall personnel will not stay at MCWD 24/7 and will only assist Lapid and the interim board of directors to freely exercise their duties for 90 days.
Lapid confirmed that LWUA asked him to seek City Hall’s help to enter the water district’s headquarters.
Reluctant
Lapid immediately met with MCWD’s employees at the water district’s social hall.
He shared that he received text messages from some of his fellow employees that they will not attend the meeting having been threatened of being charged for abandonment of work.
“Mahadlok gyud na. In fact, ako nagduha-duha ko nga magpa-install but I have no choice,” Lapid said.
He hopes that the employees would attend the meeting as he wants to explain to them why there is a need for LWUA to intervene on MCWD’s affairs.
“Hinaot unta, wala man ta nakig-away, nga mosaka sila dinhi para motabang silag pasabot. Dili mo mosaka dinhi kay mo-recognize mo nako as OIC manager, ang akoa kay pasabton ta mo,” Lapid added.
Awkward moment
But just as Lapid and City Hall officials entered the MCWD premises, the suspended members of the MCWD Board encountered them at the building.
Suspended MCWD board chairman Jose Daluz III and fellow board members Judelyn Mae Seno and Miguelito Pato came from a press conference with Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia at the Capitol when they encountered Lapid and City Hall officials at the water district.
Suspended MCWD GM Edgar Donoso joined them.
The belligerents had an awkward encounter at Donoso’s office in front of their respective lawyers, MCWD employees and members of the media.
A member of the iBOD, Rey Tambis was also present during the meeting. | PPRMN / jkv
Cebu City • News & Information 