Resignation of Butuan water firm exec sought
BUTUAN CITY—Local officials here, led by Mayor Ferdinand Amante Jr., are demanding the resignation of the chief of the Butuan City Water District (BCWD) amid the lingering water crisis, which worsened in the aftermath of Typhoon “Seniang.”
Amante said it was time for BCWD general manager Anselmo Sangtian to step down and give the water firm a fresh start. He said he and the public had lost confidence in Sangtian after the water utility executive failed to resolve the water crisis in the city.
“I urge Sangtian to resign. Everybody is complaining, and nobody is siding with him right now. For the good of Butuan,” Amante said.
He said he wanted a “new leader at the helm of BCWD.” The new head of BCWD, he said, should be able to solve the crisis.
BCWD has been rationing water from the Agusan River to its 38,000 customers for weeks now.
Sangtian said the water crisis, which he had blamed on illegal mining and illegal logging inside the Taguibo watershed, worsened when Seniang damaged filtration facilities and pumping stations.
City officials, however, refuse to accept Sangtian’s explanation.
Last week, the city council issued an ultimatum for Sangtian to step down.
Butuan Bishop Juan de dios Pueblos has joined the fray.
Amante said he had personally told Sangtian to resign.
“Let’s just see whether the members of the board will take action,” Amante said.
Michael Torralba, convenor of the citizens’ watchdog group Butuanon Action for Transparency, Efficiency and Accountability in Governance, said Sangtian’s resignation would not solve the problem.
He said it would simply sweep under the rug allegations of irregularity and corruption at the BCWD over several contracts, including a P500-million bulk water supply and treatment project that went to a firm allegedly owned by an Amante ally.
Torralba said an investigation should be conducted first against BCWD and its dealings and local government officials allegedly involved in the wrongdoing. Franklin Caliguid, Inquirer Mindanao
