Capitol to meet town execs over complaint

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu provincial government is set to invite the mayor of Aloguinsan and the captain of Barangay Angilan to a conference over a complaint raised by some residents in the town against the barangay captain.

The complainants, led by former barangay councilman Teopisto Manguilimutan, alleged that on February 16, Barangay Captain Lorenzo Mainit allegedly ordered the disconnection of water connection accessories, which stopped the supply of water in the area.

Among those allegedly disconnected include a submersible pump, GI pipes, and cable wires.

“Wa ko kabalo unsa iyang tuyo kay karong panahona ang GI pipes naa ra sa barangay hall, wa gigamit. Pista gud karong March 18 ug 19, iya gyong giatol pagpaibot nga ‘duna man untay kasaulogan ang maong barangay,” Manguilimutan said.

“Anogon kaayo kay ang barangay Angilan mao gyod ang mi-shoulder sa tanang kagastuhan gikan pa pagsugod ana. Ang miaging administrasyon ni kapitan Juanito Ignacio mao ang nagsuporta sa panubig,” he added.

Manguilimutan and some residents in the barangay sought the help of Board Member Grecilda Sanchez and met with Governor Hilario Davide III and Vice Governor Agnes Magpales at the Capitol yesterday.

Manguilimutan also recalled that early in January, Aloguinsan Vice Mayor Augustus Cesar Moreno also asked the residents in the barangay to source the water out from the from the municipality.

When the water supply in the barangay was still available, residents were paying P50 per cubic meter, he said.

Sanchez said Capitol will give Moreno a chance to explain his side.

“Sa pagkakaron, di pa ko ka-conclude. Tagaan sa nato’g panahon si Vice Mayor Moreno. I hope you (Moreno) can come over to the governor’s office to settle all these,” Sanchez said.

But Sanchez noted the complaints of residents in three other barangays – Kawasan, Boho, Bonbon and Olango – that their water supply was cut off reportedly after they were perceived as supporters of Moreno’s political opponent.

“Ug usa lang unta ang mi-complain, pwede ra nato mahilom, pero ug lima nga nagkalainlaing barangay, this is very alarming,” Sanchez said.

Both Ignacio and Manguilimutan ran but lost during the October poll last year.

In a phone interview, Moreno explained that he asked residents in areas without water connection to have their water sourced from the municipality “freely.” He said further that the well used as a water source in Barangay Angilan is in a private property and has no deed of donation from the owner.

“Dili gyod na panag-iya sa barangay ang yuta anang tabay. Ang tag-iya ana ingon nga di na daw pagamitan ang tabay,” he told The FREEMAN.

Angilan barangay captain Lorenzo Mainit said the Department of Interior and Local Government has reminded them that the land area where the well and the storage tank are located is not used by the barangay legally.

“Wala gyod dokumento nga mopakita nga gi-donate gyod ang yuta,” he told The FREEMAN.

He said the Council opted to remove the GI pipes and other accessories and to keep them in a safe area.

“Kawaton unya ang mga linya, mao among gihipos. Sa pagkakaron, adto sa sila sa munisipyo. Ang nakapait nila wa man sila miduol namo. Ig-agaw raman unta mi.Ako pa siyang ubanan adto ni Mayor,” he added. — (FREEMAN)