Bohol local gov’t official, 6 gov’t execs face graft raps over ‘fraudulent’ water permit

Bohol map. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — A local government official in Bohol province and six other ranking officials were charged over alleged “fraudulent” water permit.

The Bohol Clean Water Alliance (BCWA) filed before the Office of the Ombudsman on Wednesday graft and corruption charges against the officials.

Respondents in the criminal complaint are officials from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources; the National Economic Development Authority; Department of Justice; Department of Science and Technology; National Hydraulic Research Center; National Water Resources Board (NWRB); and the local official of Balilihan, town in Bohol.

INQUIRER.net withheld the identity of the respondents while trying to obtain their side.

In their complaint, BCWA Chairman Emmanuel Ramasola and President Erastus Leopando said NWRB members “acted with manifest partiality, evident bad faith, and gross negligence” when they affirmed the validity of the “fraudulently obtained” conditional water permit issued to the local government unit of Balilihan, Bohol.

“The respondents should all be criminally charged … as they gave unwarranted benefit and preference to LGU Balilihan,” BCWA officials Chairman Emmanuel Ramasola and President Erastus Leopando said in their complaint.

In their complaint, Ramasola and Leopando said the NWRB “acted with manifest partiality, evident bad faith, and gross negligence” when they affirmed the validity of the “fraudulently obtained” conditional water permit (CWP No. 01-22-20-008) issued to the local government unit of Balilihan.

The complainants also alleged that the NWRB official committed “gross negligence” by the official’s inaction by issuing a resolution granting Balilihan town a water permit.

This resolution, the complainants said “prejudiced the constituents of Barangay Magsaysay and Sevilla, Bohol.”

“It is the height of inequity for LGU Balilihan to utilize water obtained from Bugwak Spring in Barangay Magsaysay, Sevilla, Bohol. It is an affront to Barangay Magsaysay and Sevilla’s territorial jurisdiction since LGU Balilihan did not secure their consent, much less inform them, before the start of the water supply project’s construction or even ask for a permit from Barangay Magsaysay or from LGU Sevilla,” they also said.

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JPV