Gasataya choice as VM bet ‘not linked’ to Baciwa privatization
-A A +AFriday, September 28, 2012
BACOLOD City Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson denied Thursday that their choice of Greg Gasataya as vice mayoralty candidate of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) was linked to the Bacolod City Water (Baciwa) district privatization.
A text message that circulated Thursday stated, "The decision of Bing and Thaddy why Greg Gasataya, an incumbent Board of Director of Baciwa, was chosen as their vice mayoralty candidate over the other vice mayoralty hopefuls in their camp is because Bing and Thaddy have already received an advance commission in selling Baciwa to Ramon Ang. Baciwa will be privatized after Bing, Thaddy and Greg win the election in 2013. Gasataya is instrumental in striking the Baciwa privatization deal. They already received P50 million for their campaign funds."
Sayson considered this as malicious and politically motivated, aimed to sow intrigues and politically harass them.
On the other hand, Baciwa general manager Julie Ann Carbon said the water district is not under privatization with San Miguel Corporation president Ramon Ang as the proponent and with Gasataya as the middle man.
"If there is a move to privatize the water district, it will be me to know it first. I have not received a letter of intent or proposal from Mr. Ang of San Miguel Brewery," Carbon said.
There is a proposal for the reduction of water losses from Manila Water and Maynilad and a proposal for bulk water supply from various firms but not to take over the board and the management because of the reported privatization, Carbon said.
"We told the proponents to propose on a certain activity but not to fully privatize the water district. We believe that the present set up which is a government owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) is already a good and efficient set up because it is easier for us with this set up to coordinate with the concerned government agencies because we are considered a government agency," Carbon said.
Gasataya said he need not dignify such wild imagination. (Carla N. Canet)
Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on September 28, 2012.
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