PEOPLE talk about...
* SUCH HEADLINES AS "WILL WE HAVE A NEW VP?" (Rappler) Or "Comelec ready to hold special polls for VP post if..." (Philstar).
While the story over which the headline hangs doesn't say that the eventuality is near, it impresses on the reader that it is.
* COULD RAFFY TULFO RESOLVE THE FEUD OF THE BARRETOS when even the president could not? And did not one Barreto once figured in a shouting match with the Tulfos?
Which set off what? The order of LWUA Acting Administrator Jeci A. Lapus creating an interim board of directors or the letter of resignation of Joel Mari Yu, chairman of the MCWD board of directors?
Both the Lapus order, contained in a letter to Yu, and Yu's letter of resignation, were dated October 21 (Monday). The copies obtained by a Bzzzzz source didn't show when they were received.
The Lapus letter confirmed receipt by the Local Water Utilities Administration of the notices of termination to Yu and the four other directors: Cecila Jugao-Adlawan, Augustus Pe Jr., Procopio Fernandez and Ralph Sevilla.
Since the termination was to take effect on the same day the mayor's notice was dated (October 15), Lapus told Yu, it was "necessary" to create an interim board of directors for a "partial takeover" of MCWD because of the "institutional crisis" in the water district.
Yu's resignation didn't indicate that he received Lapus's letter before sending his own. It didn't mention the reason for his resignation, especially that it constituted a complete turnaround in his previous stand to defy the mayor's order because it was illegal and unconstitutional. And the resignation would take effect on the same date of the letter, October 21.
Interim board of 3
An MCWD source said the Lapus letter was what must have prompted Yu to give up the fight. He could've gone to court to dispute the termination but he must see that LWUA is backing City Hall and other local governments.
Lapus sounded as if the termination took effect immediately when the Local Water Utilities Law says the mayor's decision is subject to "review and approval" by LWUA. PD 198 does not say the termination is immediate.
It would also seem that the remaining directors who have not resigned are deemed suspended since the interim board will perform MCWD's policy-making functions. The interim BOD will consist of only three officials from LWUA central office.
LWUA review of projects
A Facebook user that calls itself Sugbo Republik -- whose identity and membership are still not widely known -- alleges that a joint venture of two major corporations for major water projects has been stripped of its "original proponent status (OPS)." It says the Yu-headed board had "kept it under wraps pending negotiations."
LWUA's Lapus said it would look into the resolutions of local governments protesting the deficiency of MCWD service. It could look into projects that the Yu board had studied or considered, to see if it was being negligent in its work. The projects may include the purported offer of the said two major companies.
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