(Jay Sangil takes water sample at Northville. Contributed photo)
ANGELES CITY – A city councilor here lambasted on Tuesday the top executives of a local utility company for allegedly engaging in backdoor negotiations with a giant water company.
Councilor Jesus “Jay” Sangil castigated officials of the Angeles City Water District (ACWD) during the council’s regular session for allegedly engaging in secret talks with Prime Water Corp.
Sangil, chairman of the council’s committee on public works and engineering, said he received reports that a top official of the ACWD allowed Prime Water in conducting meter data logger testing in their pumping stations and concessionaires.
The city alderman said the private company is also doing feasibility study at the ACWD office.
Councilor Alfie Bonifacio, the council’s committee chairman on public utilities, exposed the bulk water contract of ACWD to a drilling company allegedly used by a member of the board of directors as its dummy to supply bulk water.
In a privilege speech, Bonifacio lambasted the same board officer and the ACWD manager Rey Liwanag for entering into a questionable contract citing conflict of interest.
“Hindi po maalis sa isipan ng mamamayan na minamadali ang pakikipag usap (backdoor) sa pribadong kumpanya upang i-privatize ang Angeles water district dahil ilang board directors at opisyales ang mag-expire na ng kanilang termino,” said Sangil.
In the same privatization issue, Sangil cited the ongoing data logging activity of Prime Water as he pointed to pictures that he received.
Sangil said Liwanag gave an earlier assurance that he will not allow ACWD to privatize but is now singing a different tune.
“There is something fishy going on at the ACWD,” he said.
