In a bid to dismantle the hold of the oligarchs in the
country’s economy, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has dared opposition senator
and Liberal Party stalwart Franklin Drilon to “tell the truth” about the
onerous contracts in favor of Manila Water and Maynilad.
Duterte wants Drilon to spill the bean so to speak about the
alleged irregularities in the contracts with the two water companies or else he
might drag him down with him.
The President called out Drilon, after he threatened to arrest the
persons behind the 1997 water concession agreements for economic sabotage.
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| Opposition Senator Franklin Drilon (photo credit to owner) |
“I distinctly recall that Drilon said something, ‘Presidente
Duterte, do not tinker with that contract because we will end up paying so many
billions of pesos.’ Senator Drilon, are you one of those who crafted the
contract? I’m asking you,” he said during the oath-taking of new presidential
appointees in Malacañang.
“I’m ready to go down. Hindi kita tinatakot. Pero ‘pag bumagsak ako,
dadalhin talaga kita. I will — I will… I’m not — I’m not — takot-takot (I’m not
trying to scare you but if I go down, I will drag you down. I’m not afraid).
I’m not challenging you. Just tell the people the truth. You read the contract
aloud and say if it is good for the people,” he added.
Duterte said the senator gave him a warning to be careful in
reviewing government contracts,
“Do not f*** with me — takutin mo ako (you’re trying to scare
me by saying), billions of pesos. If I go down, you go down. I am ready
anytime. I’m ready to be destroyed anytime. But I will also destroy [you]
because you destroyed my country,” he said.
The President said these contracts put the government in a big
disadvantage because they contain provisions preventing the government from
interfering with rate adjustments as well as allowing indemnity claims from the
government over losses. He also lamented that the contracts categorize water
“not as a natural resource but as a commodity.”
“Matagal na ito (This has been going on a long time). Wala lang
pumipiyak kasi nga takot sa pera ni Ayala pati ni Pangilinan (No one’s talking
because they’re afraid of Ayala and Pangilinan money), especially during the
elections. Kailangan mo eh (Because you need it). Kaya walang nagsasalita
talaga (That’s why no one talks),” he said.
“But when I saw the contract, sabi ko, p***** i**** ‘to. They are
screwing us and they’re screwing us all the way,” he added.
The President said the government is “being milked by billions” through
the payment of fines and penalties.
“At ang masakit diyan (What’s painful is), we cannot interfere because
if we do, they will sue us and they would be awarded millions kasi ang napili
nila (because what they chose) is arbitration,” he said.
The outburst of the President was brought about by the decision
mandating the government to pay Maynilad P3.6 billion and Manila Water P7.4
billion over losses due to the disapproved rate increase, coming from an
arbitration court in Singapore.
“Arbitration, natalo na tayo (we lost). Three million. Ngayon, there’s
come — there’s one coming up. Six million because we interfered. We cannot
raise or lower the price of water in this country,” he said.
“If we do that, they will sue us and for interference and they go to —
to file the arbitration. Talo talaga tayo (We really lost). Eh puro sila ‘yun
eh (It was all them). Kita mo ang kawalang-hiyaan ng tao (See how shameless
they are),” he added.
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