TACLOBAN CITY — Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico L. Petilla said he wants a peaceful resolution to the ongoing power struggle at the Leyte Metropolitan Water District (LMWD) that affected the operations of the city’s lone water service provider over the past two weeks.
Petilla, speaking to reporters on Thursday, said they will exhaust all legal means to retake control of the LMWD management “claimed” by the board of directors appointed by Mayor Cristina Romualdez.
“We want to resolve the issue without resorting to violence and prevent water service interruption. We are ready to bring the case to higher courts if the decision of the local court would be unfair,” Petilla said.
As of Friday, both camps are still waiting for the decision of the Regional Trial Court here on which among the two local government units has the authority to appoint officers of LMWD’s governing board.
Petilla said the court decision is a key to end the power struggle that stopped water bill payments in local government units (LGUs), padlocked a payment center at the city’s downtown area, and confused thousands of water concessionaires in the regional capital and the neighboring seven towns.
“Everybody is careful, even Malacañang since there is no court decision. We are trying do something within the bounds of law and not act forcibly. If there’s court decision, everybody should comply,” the governor said.
Petilla was referring to the statement of Presidential Adviser for Special Concerns Wendel Avisado on Monday when he told LMWD employees that Malacañang Palace will not intervene in the ongoing leadership woes.
Avisado said it is not the job of President Rodrigo Duterte to decide who among the LGUs have the legal mandate to appoint the governing board of the water district.
The Chief Executive has no details about the issue that may affect the water district’s nearly 34,000 water consumers in the city and nearby seven towns, Avisado said.
However, in a statement issued Monday by Romualdez, she admitted that the city government expressed its intent to take over the LMWD management with the failure of provincial government-appointed officials to address the water shortage problem in the city, including in resettlement sites.
“By reason of predicaments of my constituents, we implored the authority of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte who then referred the matter to LWUA (Local Water Utilities Administration) to possibly assume management, administration, and policy decision powers over LMWD for the latter’s alleged failure to provide adequate water,” Romualdez said.
Petilla denied that there water district deprives the city of reliable water services. He explained that there are instances when water flow is controlled to prevent water wastage due to aged old pipes.
“We cannot afford a crisis in Tacloban. If we will reduce the supply in the city, it will affect Leyte province and even the entire region since it is center of commerce. It is our duty to protect the city from any crisis because it will affect everyone,” the governor added.
The standoff began on January 17 when the new set of board of directors appointed by Romualdez entered the LMWD office, saying they had the right to govern the office.
Majority of LMWD’s 500 employees, including general manager Pastor Homeres, withdrew their support from the officials backed by the governor and recognized the authority of the new officers to rule the water district.
Since then, the board of directors appointed by Petilla had been prevented from entering the premises of the water district.
The provincial government-backed officials and 22 employees have set up a temporary office at the Leyte Academic Center and appointed Adlofo Olaya, a retired police officer as new manager. (PNA)
