Manila Times/Manila
Non-government organisations contesting the “pass-on-charges” by two giant water utility concessionaires on consumers are preparing plunder charges.
The plunder charges are to be slapped not only on the private firms but also on government officials who worked at the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) before and during the implementation of the controversial Concessionaire Agreement (CA).
Not only calling for President Benigno Aquino to void the CA, the Water for All Refund Movement (WARM) led by President Rodolfo Javellana Jr and Sonny Africa of the Water for the People Network (WPN) and executive director of Ibon Foundation, said they are preparing the plunder case against the owners of Maynilad and Manila Water as well as the government officials who worked for the privatisation of the water supply service, sewerage and sanitation mandated by law to the MWSS.
The plunder suit could include two high-ranking Cabinet secretaries, Rene Almendras and Rogelio Singson, who are former executives of Manila Water and Maynilad; MWSS chair Ramon Alikpala and his deputy Randolph Sakay and former Local Water Utilities Administration head Eduardo Santos, among others.
In a weekly forum at Balitaan sa Hotel Rembrandt, Javellana said the two giant private concessionaires have been availing of the services of “spin doctors” to mislead the public to their cause and actions. He cited published stories that their case at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court had been dismissed for lack of merit.
“In fact, we have withdrawn it as we are elevating the case to the Office of the Ombudsman for charges of plunder against not only the owners of the private concessionaires but also government officials who once served as MWSS heads,” Javellana said.
Africa, on the other hand, said President Aquino’s silence on the water issue shows his strong backing for the two concessionaires.
“He is first to speak up against his political opponents, but is silent when his allies in the business community are concerned,” Africa said referring to the president’s silence on the issue.
Javellana said they have documents to prove that MWSS officials had connived with the concessionaires in handing out subcontracted deals to other private firms, citing one project that had a P126mn bid from a sub-contractor, but which was won by DMCI with a P164mn bid.
The plunder case, he added is enough to pin down all those involved in shady deals at the MWSS controlled ‘CA’.
Meanwhile, Napoleon Quinones, MWSS Labour Association leader, in the same forum showed the list of consultants including media and public relation practitioners, indirectly collaborating Javellanas’ point. Quinones led the filing of at least 10 graft charges against present MWSS administrator Gerardo Esquivel before the Ombudsman including for the illegal hiring 42 of “consultants.”
He also cited one of the biggest blunders made by the water regulatory agency was in contracting China’s Water Electric Corp for the Angat Water Utilisation and Aquaduct Improvement Project that cost the goverment over P5bn.
Quinones said the project was inaugurated by the president in 2005 but a ‘variation order’ allowed in the contract forced the MWSS to pay P60mn January this year for the interest alone and another P68mn this July.
He added that they had already asked Singson to conduct an independent and impartial review of the project’s variation order.