(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, Dec. 30, accused two Filipino businessmen of syndicated estafa and corruption over what he said were Manila Water’s and Maynilad’s onerous contracts with the government.
“‘Yung nagtatanong kayo, saan ‘yung big fish? Saan ‘yung mga corruption, saan ‘yung malalaki? O, i-deliver ko na sa inyo ngayon. Si Ayala pati si Pangilinan,” Duterte said.
Fernando Zobel de Ayala is the chairman of Manila Water.
Manuel V. Pangilinan is, on the other hand, the chairman of Maynilad.
The Department of Justice has said among the onerous provisions of the concession contracts were a ban on the government from interfering in the setting of water rates, and an indemnity clause should such an interference take place.
The DOJ said the extension of the contracts until 2037 way before they were to lapse in 2022 was also “irregular.”
“Nakita mo sila tahimik talaga, puro apology. Sa akin dito, there is a violation of law, a crime has been committed, you cannot reform that contract. Right at the beginning, it is null and void,” Duterte said.
“Sabi ko sa kanila ayusin nila ito. Kapag magkaso kaso sila, kapag mag file sila ng kaso diretso na, file sila sa Supreme Court. I will declare a suspension of the writ of habeas corpus and I will arrest all of them..”I want billionaires inside the prison,” he added.
In October 2018, the High Court of Singapore ordered the Philippine government to pay Maynilad P3.44-billion in supposed losses after the government refused to increase water rates, and Manila Water P7.4 billion.
The President has said however that he would not pay the amount.
Maynilad and Manila Wayter have said they would no longer pursue the arbitral award.