WHEN Engr. Antonio Young retired from his post as general manager of Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) last August, Engr. Edna Najeal automatically became the highest ranking employee below interim general manager Fermin Jarales.
Today, Najeal is contesting Jarales’ post as head of the oldest provincial water district in the country.
Backed by a board of directors resolution, Najeal assumed office at the third level of COWD headquarters Monday morning (March 3) and began informing department heads that she is now acting general manager.
One storey below, Jarales continued holding office – a routine he has done since May when LWUA set an interim board that appointed him as interim general manager.
From an original six-month timeline, that intervention had been extended until February 28.
On that day, the set aside board of directors led by chairman Gerry Cano had been demanding Jarales to produce documents proving that the intervention was extended for a second time.
Later that day, Jarales presented a certification from the LWUA board of trustees secretary Julius Paolo Basa stating that the regulator’s intervention of COWD has been extended up to August 30.
But Najeal refused to recognize the document, saying she needs to see a certified true copy of the LWUA board resolution itself.
However, Jarales said he is not in a position to release any document from another government agency since he represents only COWD and not LWUA or any other entity.
“It’s a public document. If they want, they can browse the website of LWUA,” he said.
So much is at stake especially in who among the two is authorized to liquidate funds that councilors were alarmed.
By Monday afternoon (March 3), the City Council passed four resolutions all concerning the current situation.
First, they condemned LWUA for grave abuse of authority.
Second, they requested the Regional Trial Court Branch 41 to expedite deciding on the petition for writ of prohibition against the intervention that has been pending in its sala since last year.
Third, they requested the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) to intervene on the matter. (Ironically under law, OGCC represents both LWUA and COWD in any legal proceeding.)
Fourth, the City Council committee on public utilities was tasked to meet and invite all stakeholders to discuss the matter and look for solutions.
Momentarily, the deadlock prevails.
