CAMARINES NORTE- Naniniwala si Vice Governor Joseph Ascutia na dapat munang ihinto ang pagpapatupad ng 20 percent na tariff increase sa bayarin sa tubig na ipinatupad ng Primewater simula noong Hunyo hanggat hindi pa nareresolba ang magkaibang legal opinion ng Local Water Utilities Administration (LUWA) at Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC).
Naninindigan kasi ang LUWA na kahit mayroong Joint Venture Agreement sa pagitan ng water district at ng isang pribadong kumpanya tulad ng Primewater ay ito pa rin ang siyang may kapangyarihang magdesisyon sa usapin ng taripa sa tubig.
Sa kabilang dako, naninindigan naman ang OGCC na ang National Water Resources Board (NWRB) na nag aproba sa tariff increase ang may hurisdiksyon sa naturang usapin.
Ayon kay Ascutia ang mga kunsomidores ang naiipit sa ngayon kaya mas makabubuti aniya kung resolbahin muna ang isyu at habang hindi pa ito nangyayari ay ihinto muna ang pagpapatupad ng increase sa taripa sa tubig.
“I believe it is better for Primewater to stop the tariff increase and then settled this issue between this two government agencies because the consumers in Camarines Norte are in quandary how are we going to proceed because the other one allows the tariff increase and the other government agencies do not allow, so the consumer deserves a better explanation coming from the government agencies,” ani Ascutia.
Ayon naman kay Camarines Norte Water District Board Chairman Adolfo Ogad malinaw na ang dapat sundin ay ang opinion ng OGCC dahil sa sandaling pumasok sa JVA ang alinmang water district ay wala lang hurisdiksyon at kontrol dito ang LUWA sa usapin ng water rate.
“I believe the opinion of the OGCCC will prevail over the LUWA’s comment because very clear from the rule that once any water district enter into a JVA, LUWA’s loses his jurisdiction and control insofar as water rate is concern,” pahayag ni Ogad.
Pero binigyang diin ng Bise Gobernador na mas mainam pa rin na resolbahin muna ang isyu sa magkaibang legal opinion ng dalawang ahensiya ng gobyerno dahil wala aniya sa posisyon ang sinuman na magdesisyon ukol dito.
“We are not in the position, all of us here are not in the position to decide who is going to prevail base on this two agencies that have confliction opinions, so I believe we have to settle this first before we can continue with the rate increase.”
Pero nanindigan ang legal counsel ng Primewater nasi Atty. Niel Pangan na mayroon nang naunang kaparehong legal na usapin na nadesisyunan ang Department of Justice (DOJ) na nagsasabing ang NWRB ang may kapangyarihang magdesisyon sa usapin ng water rate adjustment.
“There are also at least two similar opinions rendered by the OGCC and the LUWA was given the chance to appeal the same opinions that carry the same substance that it is the NWRB that has authority with respect to water rate adjustment”, ani Pangan.
“The DOJ denied the appeal of LUWA so I think it’s also important to put that on record that there was already an appeal made by the LUWA precisely questioning the OGCC resolution and from a legal point of view we feel that, that’s already a resolution of the apparent conflict.
