Ex-mayor sued for water pilferage

CEBU, Philippines - The Metropolitan Cebu Water District has filed a criminal complaint for alleged water pilferage against former Compostela mayor and broadcaster Gilbert Wagas before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

Wagas, brother of Mayor Ritchie Wagas, described the complaint as “malicious” and allegedly meant to harass his brother to soften on his plan to have the town operate its own water system.

MCWD general manager Armando Paredes, in a complaint, accused Wagas of violating Section 8 of the Republic Act 8041, otherwise known as the National Water Crisis Act of 1995.

MCWD employees Jesus Salise, Jerry Niala and Joselito Butao of the legal department said in their joint affidavit attached to the complaint that they have previously received information about an alleged illegal tapping of water connection in front of the Compostela Municipal Hall.

The three employees conducted an investigation on October 20, 2008 and found out that a pipeline was directly tapped to their active water stub-out without passing through any meter.

According to them, the pipeline leads to an adjacent house allegedly owned and occupied by the former mayor. A demand letter was sent to Wagas giving him one week to settle his obligation but the latter allegedly failed to do so until now.

Wagas, in an interview over the phone, admitted receiving a demand letter requiring him to pay P82,000 as compromise.

He explained that he applied for a water service connection with MCWD but he was told to assume a disconnected water service and pay the arrears because the water district was allegedly are no longer accepting new application.

Wagas said he agreed but since he has yet to raise the amount, which allegedly included P10,000 fine for the illegal connection, he was not able to come back to the MCWD office.

He denied benefiting from an illegal water connection and challenged MCWD to prove that he committed an illegal tapping. He said he only applied to assume the disconnected line but MCWD wanted him to pay the uncollected bills from the previous owner.

According to him, it is impossible for him to have illegally tapped from the mainline because it is located across the asphalted road and it would be very daring for him to do so.

“Di gyud ko mobayad ana bisan asa mi mag-abot,” Wagas stressed. “Morally, I cannot, in conscience, pay something which belongs to us.”

 Because MCWD started accusing him of what described as “crazy” allegation, he will spearhead a personal crusade against the water district, including asking the people in Compostela not to pay their bills.

He said the water district is pumping water from the municipality and yet they could not service them. MCWD is allegedly serving only 10 percent of the households in Compostela.

“Nasuko na sila nga ang akong manghod mohimo og Compostela Waterworks System which is against their interest,” Wagas added. — Fred P. Languido/WAB(THE FREEMAN)