Duterte links ex-presidents to water ‘rip-off’

President Rodrigo Duterte took a dig at two former presidents under whose time the water concession agreements with Maynilad and Manila Water existed, which he described were the “greatest rip-offs” in the country.

Speaking at the thanksgiving gathering of the Fraternal Order of eagles in Davao City Friday, Duterte resumed his tirades against the two concessionaires and warned anew he would do everything to bring its owner to jail for what they did to the Filipino people.

Duterte also lashed against government lawyers who agreed to the contracts, which he said violated the Constitution and the anti-graft law.

“Kung gusto nyo ng rip-off, may were asking where the big fish . . .sabi ko, dito sa itaas ang pinaka-corrupt – tax exemptions, no collection of taxes . . .  itong mga elitista talaga who choose the country’s leaders, sila ‘yan,” he said.

“I will not try names, but just because your mother died, you are qualified to run for president, just because the big business pati yung mga tycoon, sila ang mapili, ito ang kandidato natin, o sige suportahan nyo, bigyan nyo ng pera.  Ganito ang politika ever since, sa Maynila lang ninyo niluluto kung ano ang kapalaran ng Pilipino,” Duterte added.

Duterte has publicly protested a liability clause in the concession agreements with the Pangilinan-led Maynilad Water Services Inc. and the Ayala-led Manila Water Company Inc. that holds the government liable if it interferes with the implementation of water rates and accountable to indemnify the companies for losses incurred.

The government’s contracts with the water concessionaires are set to expire in 2022 after the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System canceled the extension of the agreement that was supposed to be until 2037.

Duterte said the government will present new contracts with the concessionaires, which he said, they should take, otherwise, he would nationalize the distribution of water.

Government lawyers allowed contract

Duterte said the deals with the two concessionaires were “null and void” from the time they were signed in 1997 because of violations of the law and the Constitution.

“Ang masakit pa rito, yung mga abugado ng gobyerno, it boggles the mind na itong mga abugado pumayag sa kontrata in violation of the Constitution and the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act,” he said.

“Dito sa kontrata, pagbasa ko pa lang na water will be treated as a common commodity, dun pa lang pumutok na talaga ako. . . . Lahat ng nakalista sa anti-graft law, nandun sa kontrata that’s why my stand is the contract is null and void from the beginning in 1997," he said.

It was during the administration of President Fidel Ramos when Maynilad and Manila Water bagged the agreement to distribute water in Metro Manila, Rizal province and parts of Cavite province.

The concession agreements signed by the firms with the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) would be for 25 years.

"All water, lahat, air belongs to the state at whatever --- whatever kind it may be. It is the property of the state and ultimately the Filipino people. They treated it as a common commodity. Second is they allowed the distributors the privilege of the option of raising the rates. Sila, hindi tayo," he added.

Duterte continued, "I stumbled upon the greatest rip-off in the country, trilyon ito, trilyon na hindi na natin makuha," he added.

The President continued to lash out at the owners of the water concessionaires, warning that he would nationalize water operations.

“I will nationalize the water in my time para hindi nyo na magamit na lokohin ang mga Pilipino.  I will take over, expropriate then I will charge you in court.  I am very sure that in the hands of a competent prosecutor, i could get a conviction for plunder.  . . . Gusto kong makita ang mga bilyonaryong ito sa kulungan,” he said.

He added, “Bakit malakas ang loob nila, akala nila they will always control Philippine politics.” 

Duterte said some businessmen felt comfortable during the election period because they thought he did not have a chance at the presidency.

"Hindi talaga nila akalain,. . . all the time they were comfortable because I never reached 3-2-1 (presidential surveys, I was always 4.  Nobody gave me a Chinaman's chance of making it to the president," he said.

"Pero ang Diyos, marunong. . . .Pag sinobrahan mo kasi papahirapan mo ang tao, pabayarin mo tapos wala, God will not allow it," he added.

Duterte appealed to the people, including the military, not to let go of the case and pursue it even if he is no longer around.

“Kung mamatay ako, hang on to this. . . . Hindi ko sinabing mag-coup d’ etat kayo, pero wag nyo itong bitawan.” —LDF, GMA News