MWSS administrator: No need to resign for now

MANILA, Philippines — Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) Administrator Reynaldo Velasco on Wednesday said he would not resign for now amid calls for President Rodrigo Duterte to fire him and other officials of the agency for the water shortage in large parts of Metro Manila.

Velasco issued the statement in a briefing in Malacañang after their meeting with Duterte on Tuesday night.

Velasco said the President had not asked them to resign but gave them until April 7 to submit a report about the water shortage in the National Capital Region and nearby areas.

“Wala naman kasi di pa kami tinanong eh kasi ang sinabi lang niya shape (up) or ship out. In other words ayusin nyo muna, pag ‘di n’yo maayos, go. Eh pinagbibigyan naman kaming ayusin kaya inaayos ko baka para ‘di ako tanggalin,” he said in a Palace briefing.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte ordered the officials to submit a report before April 7 then he would “decide whether heads will roll or whether the contracts of the concessionaires will be terminated.”

READ: ‘Outraged’ Duterte threatens to fire MWSS execs

Velasco said he would immediately resign if he would not meet the demands of the President before the deadline.

“Kakayanin natin ‘yan. If I cannot do it, I will resign immediately,” he said.

“Sabi niya ayusin n’yo muna, mag-submit kayo ng report sa akin sabi nya. ‘Yun ang mga terms nya eh. At ‘pag hindi n’yo kayang gawin ito, ako na mismo ang gagawa kasi hindi niyo pala kaya and then I will assign new ones to take over,” he added.

Velasco said the President did not ask them to resign during their meeting.

“So hindi naman nya sinabi, ‘Oy, magresign na ikaw agad’. Hindi ‘yun ang message. Pero ang sinasabi ko nga at the very start we are all presidential appointees. We serve under the pleasure of the President,” he said. /kga