MANILA, Philippines — A consumer group called for the resignation of Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) Administrator Leonor Cleofas amid her alleged involvement in irregularities surrounding the multi-billion-peso Kaliwa Dam Project.
“In Japan, because they think so highly of their government, those who are accused of corruption immediately resign from their positions,” said Rodolfo “RJ” Javellana Jr., United Filipino Consumer and Commuters-Water for All Refund Movement (UFCC-WARM) national president.
“But, here in the Philippines, government officials have lost the decency to do so. Instead, they will tighten their grip on power, and as the foundation of the government crumbles, they will suck up the last bit of power they can get before it is completely dissolved like leeches,” he added.
Javellana spearheaded the filing of criminal and administrative cases before the Office of the Ombudsman against Cleofas and seven other incumbent and former officials of the MWSS in connection with the construction of the P12-billion New Centennial Water Source—Kaliwa Dam Project.
In its 10-page complaint affidavit, the UFCC-WARM alleged that there were irregularities surrounding the project that the MWSS awarded to a foreign contractor, China Energy and Engineering Corporation (CEEC), in July 2018.
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“This transaction entered into by the MWSS and CEEC was grossly disadvantageous to the Philippine government and prejudicial to the interest of the consumer sector in general,” said Javellana.
He pointed out that CEEC bagged the contract allegedly under questionable circumstances, from the bidding stage up to the project awarding.
“Apparently, laws were violated and regulations were set aside to favor a specific bidder. To sum it up, this was the story of the biggest anomaly in the history of MWSS that we are trying to unearth,” Javellana said.
The complaint stemmed from the release of advance payments to CECC amounting to P1.828 billion and standby costs amounting to P309.840 million.
Javellana said in the complaint that the “improper and rushed entry” into the Kaliwa Dam Project contract with CEEC and approval of “numerous questionable transactions emanating therefrom, directly resulted in the incursion of unconscionable standby costs” which the Filipino people and water consumers are already paying under rate rebasing in 2023 “even though there is still no water being used from Kaliwa Dam.”
Standby cost, as defined, is the penalty or payment made by MWSS to contractors whenever a project stalls due to negligence, fault or deficiency of the agency.
Javella said despite being accused of irregularities, Cleofas has the temerity to hold on to her post.
“Instead of giving up her position due to her involvement in the anomalous Kaliwa Dam, Cleofas continues to hold on to her office,” he said. “Instead of resigning to allow President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to freely make decisions based on those allegations against her, she is ensconcing herself more and more in her position as MWSS administrator,” he said.
Cleofas has yet to respond to the allegations against her.
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