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Ben Contreras

ARE we seeing history repeating itself? There are indications that make things look like it.

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The story goes back years ago when the Cagayan de Oro Water District was in need of a bulk water supplier and there were bidders who were qualified and almost bagged the deal. A radio station identified with the previous administration was so noisy against giving the deal to an outsider when we have the Rio Verde owned by a businessman with Cagayan de Oro roots. But Rio Verde came out of the blue and eventually got it despite many perceived legal impediments. The rumors then: Who made money out of the deal?

It was a time when the COWD board was “controlled” by the then mayor Vicente Emano. The board was sort of beholden to him. It was also a time when the COWD administration was under a general manager (not the present one) who was perceived to be not in good rapport with the board.

The contract former COWD general manager Gaspar Gonzales was allegedly made to sign was not the same he earlier reviewed — there were alleged insertions and modifications. He was reported to have complained about it. But he was allegedly prevailed (?) upon by the board to sign it. Well, we all know that there is a pending case between Rio Verde and COWD until today.

COWD, despite a USAid grant to rehabilitate the water system probably to reduce losses received an unsolicited proposal from Metro Pacific on March 25, 2015. The first time I heard of Metropac, I was told that was tasked to help operate Rio Verde. Then, all these hullabaloo about a joint venture agreement and then Rio Verde asking to increase its water rate became talk of the town.

Who brokered this joint venture agreement? Why would the board insist on approving the contract when someone allegedly questioned certain provisions and reported them to the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel? An insider was reported to have told somebody that the contract has legal infirmities. That’s why COA is questioning it.

Ah, another legal battle seems to be in the offing. When deal as big as this pushed through without a public consultation, without the city council knowing about it, and which only Mayor Oscar Moreno and his loyal allies know of, something must have been, ahem, cooked elsewhere. So, again, who made money out of this deal?

All these talk about who bought new cars may just be speculative but you can’t prevent public perception that an under-the-table deal was made.

I asked this question once: Why would Metropac be interested to get involved with an outfit that still has a pending case? The answer I got was that Rio Verde and COWD are allegedly into negotiations on how to reach a mutually beneficial agreement, and drop the case altogether. But then why was the joint venture deal kept from the public until after the signing?

My naughty mind suspects that Rio Verde may have talked to Metropac into taking over the business so that the latter can raise the water rate from P10 to P16 per cubic meter which cannot be done under Rio Verde. And what does a P5.55ate increase translates to? My calculator says it’s P555 thousand per day or P16.65 million per month. You think this amount is peanuts?

Like the first deal during the past administration, this new deal saw many liars making dirty money at the expense of the consuming public.

Whether the threat was or is true or not, the people won’t be cowed. Already, there is a move by to launch a legal battle against this shady deal.

Karma will work by itself.

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