PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has tapped a retired military official as chairperson of state water regulator Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), following the recent water crisis in parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
In a speech in Davao City on Thursday, May 23, 2019, Duterte announced that the new MWSS chair would be Ricardo "Dick" Morales, a retired Army general.
Duterte stressed that he would not let corruption thrive in government. But he did not elaborate on whether he received reports of corrupt activities within the MWSS.
"Hindi ako pumapayag ng corruption. If I.. Pag-balik ko, meron.. Ang kinuha kong chairman sa MWSS. Si Dick Morales (I would not allow corruption. I picked Dick Morales as chairman of MWSS)," the President said during the thanksgiving dinner for senator-elect Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go in Davao City Thursday.
"Malikot ang utak niya. Pero try niyo (He has a creative mind. Try him)," he added.
A graduate of the PMA Class 1977, Morales is a retired Army general.
Morales was a member of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement, a group of rebellious military officers who hatched a plot to topple the Marcos government. The plot was foiled, however.
In 2010, he retired from the Philippine Army after serving as camp commander of the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio.
The President's pronouncement came on the heels of his threat to axe MWSS officials for their failure to solve the recent water crisis in the country.
The fate of the MWSS executives depends on the report about water shortage, which Duterte demanded to be transmitted only until April 15.
In his latest speech, Duterte did not mention whether he had already received the MWSS's report.
To date, Franklin Demonteverde sits as the chairperson of MWSS. (SunStar Philippines)