Foiled City Hall takeover draws comparison from MCWD standoff

Local

THE ongoing power struggle at Cebu City Hall has sparked fresh comparisons to a previous incident at the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD), according to Jose Daluz III, former MCWD board chairman and current vice mayoral candidate.

Daluz compared the recent tension-filled incident at the City Hall to the previous confrontation at MCWD, suggesting that both incidents were initiated by the same individuals. Daluz, the running mate of Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, pointed directly at key figures from both conflicts.

"The same individuals who stormed City Hall are the ones who previously tried to take over MCWD. It feels like what happened at MCWD was a rehearsal," he said on Tuesday during MyTV Cebu's Openline news forum.

On April 15 this year, tension flared at the MCWD main office when then-City Administrator Collin Rosell led an attempt to assert control over the water district.

Daluz described the move as an unauthorized takeover, resisted by him and MCWD General Manager Edgar Donoso.

They filed complaints against Mayor Michael Rama, Rosell, and four other city officials for grave misconduct, abuse of authority, and oppression over the forcible entry into MCWD premises.

Despite their petition to the Office of the Ombudsman for investigation, there have been no updates on the case's progress.

Daluz's comments come amid heightened political tensions following the Ombudsman’s order on September 25, dimissing Rama from office over alleged hiring anomalies involving his brothers-in-law.

Rama’s camp, disputing the decision, has sought to maintain control of City Hall.

Rosell, a staunch Rama ally, argued that despite the dismissal, Rama remains Cebu City's elected leader. Daluz countered this claim, stating the Ombudsman’s decision was "final and executory" with no appeal possible except through a petition for review.

The standoff escalated when Rosell and Rama's supporters attempted to reassert their authority at City Hall following the expiration of Rama’s suspension due to another case on November 6.

Daluz criticized this move, arguing that Rosell’s authority as city administrator was tied to Rama’s position.

"Rosell’s role as city administrator is coterminous with the mayor’s tenure. Once the principal authority is dismissed, so too should his tenure end," Daluz said.

Drawing parallels between the City Hall and MCWD incidents, Daluz noted similarities in the aggressive tactics used by Rosell and his supporters in both situations.

He highlighted that the earlier attempt to seize control at MCWD was a precursor to the current standoff at City Hall.

The MCWD conflict dates back to late Mayor Edgardo Labella’s decision in 2019 to appoint Daluz to the MCWD board after dismissing its previous members due to poor service performance.

The move sparked legal battles, with the dismissed board members challenging their removal. Despite a temporary restraining order in early 2021, Labella’s decision was upheld after his passing, with Mayor Rama opting not to contest the court ruling.

Tensions resurfaced in mid-2023 when Rama, dissatisfied with the MCWD board's resistance to initiatives such as water service privatization, attempted to remove Daluz from his chairmanship.

Daluz resisted, asserting that Rama lacked the authority to dismiss board members unilaterally without due process.

The conflict escalated in November 2023 when Rama appointed new board members, including Melquiades Feliciano, Aristotle Batuhan, and Nelson Yuvallos, to replace Daluz and his allies.

Despite this, Daluz and the remaining board members refused to step down, resulting in a standoff that saw SWAT teams deployed to the MCWD office during board meetings.

The contested leadership at MCWD remains unresolved, with the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) rejecting Rama’s request for a certificate of no objection to the termination of Daluz and two other board officials.(MyTVCebu)