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By LITO RULONA
Correspondent

COUNCILOR Teodulfo Lao Jr. has called for a review of the agreement between the Cagayan de Oro Water District and Metro Pacific Water Investments Corp. even as his lawyer hinted of a plan to bring the matter to court in an effort to avoid a repeat of the controversial bulk water supply contract bagged by Rio Verde Water Consortium Inc..

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Councilors Lao, Enrico Salcedo and Reuben Daba have asked a regional court to allow them to intervene and be a recognized party in the case filed by COWD for the nullification of its decade-old contract with Rio Verde.

“Kung mahatagan kami og panugot to intervene, then ang sunod nga kontrata nga atong ipa-review before the city council. Our next target is to review the contract signed by Metropac and COWD,” said Lao.

His lawyer James Judith earlier said the same thing to this paper, hinting that the group was planning on going to court.

Lao questioned the COWD-Metropac agreement, saying that it was signed without a serious public notice.

He said there was a public notice of invitation to investors in a Manila-based newspaper but “it was only seen by a few.”

Lao added: “Ït was not fully publicized. Wala maka-inform sa tanan. Kinahanglan nga apil ang local.”

He said many other investors other than the Manny V. Pangilinan-owned Metro Pacific would have participated had there been a well-publicized notice of invitation.

“Dili na gyud pwede nga usa lamang ang mag-demand sa ilang water rate,” said Lao, pointing out the problem with the COWD-Rio Verde deal.

Meanwhile, COWD lawyer Ben Seriña said he was worried that the motion filed by Lao, Salcedo and Daba would affect the nullification case the water district filed against Rio Verde.

Seriña said the motion of the councilors could even result in the failure of both parties to finalize a compromise agreement.

Both COWD and Rio Verde have issued public statements about their desire to terminate their contract.

COWD general manager Rachel Beja earlier said she was expecting a court to decide on the nullification case on Dec. 4.

If COWD and Rio Verde fail to reach a settlement, the two firm would continue to be tied to the controversial contract.

Seriña said of the councilors’ move: “Ila kanang katungod nga mo-file og motion for intervention apan atong gikabalak-an nga basin unya dili na madayon ang compromise agreement. Magpadayon na hinuon ang contract sa Rio Verde og water district. Maka-affect unya kini sa dagan sa kaso.”

He said the move to intervene should have been filed if the court decided against COWD or if the twi parties failed to reach a settlement.

But Seriña said it was now up to the 38th branch of the Regional Trial Court to grant or reject the motion of the councilors.

“Kung walay areglo ayha na unta sila mipasaka sa ilang motion for intervention. Tan-awon kana sa korte kung aduna ba sila’y interes sa maong kaso nga dapat ma-protektahan ang interes sa kinabag-an o consuming public. It is now up to the court,” Seriña said.

Lao, chairman of the city council’s committee on public utilities, said he and the other councilors only wanted to speed up the nullification of the COWD-Rio Verde contract.

“Dali-on lang gayud pagesolbar. Walay lain,” said Lao, pointing out the water crisis recently experienced in the city as a result of the COWD-Rio Verde contract.

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