Duterte: Water firms polluted Manila Bay
Credit to Author: Catherine S. Valente, TMT| Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2020 17:25:19 +0000
President Rodrigo Duterte has stepped up his attacks against Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Manila Water Co. Inc.; this time blaming the two water firms for the heavy contamination in Manila Bay.
Speaking during the celebration of the 120-year presence of the Baptist Churches in the Philippines on Thursday night, Duterte said Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, who heads the Manila Bay Task Force, could never totally clean up Manila Bay because the two firms failed to establish water treatment facilities.
“All he can do is to reduce the contamination. Why? Because there is no water treatment,” the President said.
“Until now, all the wastewater is blown, every day, into the Manila Bay. And that job was supposed to be done by the one who got the contract of water, sewer and sewerage, which is the two companies,” he said.
Duterte ordered the cleanup of the bay in 2019.
He also vowed to name those involved in the crafting of the “onerous” water distribution agreement between the government and the two private companies.
“I will reveal who are they so that you can ask them, including the Ayala[s] and [Manuel] Pangilinan, ‘Bakit mo ginawa sa amin ‘yan (Why did you do that to us)?’” Duterte said.
“I have nothing against you personally, but you have to explain to the Filipino people why you did it,” he added.
The President has ordered a review of the concession contract between the government and the two distribution companies following the water crisis that hit Metro Manila over a year ago.
After claiming that the contract was onerous, the President ordered the Department of Justice and the Office of the Solicitor General to draft a new deal to present to Maynilad and Manila Water.
He said the two concessionaires can accept or reject the new contract, but said they would be facing his former spokesman, Harry Roque Jr., if he decides to press charges against them.
He reiterated the government would not pay Maynilad and Manila Water the P10.8 billion as compensation for losses incurred after their proposal for rate increases was denied.
The President threatened to file economic sabotage and economic plunder charges against the water firms.
On January 7, Duterte gave the concessionaires the choice of accepting the new contracts or facing the cancellation of their present deals.
But he said he was willing to make amends with the concessionaires if they accept the “corrected” contracts.
“I suppose that up to now, they must already have the copies of the proposed contract, as corrected,” Duterte said in an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN aired on Friday night.
“And I suppose if they are willing to accept the conditions that are being laid down there in the proposal, I think we can negotiate again,” he added.
The government is targeting the completion of the new water contracts within three to six months.
Duterte was incensed by the two firms after the Singapore-based Permanent Court of Arbitration issued separate rulings, ordering the Philippine government to pay P3.4 billion and P7.39 billion to Maynilad and Manila Water, respectively, for their supposed losses and damages.
Reacting to Duterte’s tirades and threats, both the Pangilinan-led Maynilad and Ayala-owned Manila Water said they would no longer collect the P10.8-billion compensation.
The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System had revoked the extension of the water companies’ contracts.
The 25-year water concession agreements were signed in 1997 during the term of former president Fidel Ramos. In 2009 by the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo extended the agreements until 2037.