Ex-mayor tags town mayor in ‘water terrorism’

Former Dumanjug, Cebu Mayor Nelson Garcia has accused Moalboal Mayor Inocentes “Titing” Cabaron of committing water terrorism and depriving the people of safe, potable and cheap water.

Garcia, who is running for congressman in Cebu’s 7th District of which Dumanjug and Moalboal are a part, said that while Cabaron enjoyed abundant water supply in his own barangay, he locked the main valve of the water system to block water supply to Basdiot and Basdako.

As a result, Garcia said, the people are buying water from private suppliers with water tankers at P350 per cubic meter or P20 per pail.

Garcia said people are now suspecting that Cabaron refused to improve the Moalboal-operated water system because he has interest with the private water suppliers who some believe are his friends.

Cabaron denied this saying this has been an oft-repeated issue against him every election. He said the water system in Moalboal started in 2000 with only a capacity of 1.5 cubic meters of surface water and more than 5,000 water consumers.

The town had to dig four deep wells that will cost P5 million to augment the water supply.

“To top it all, I used three water tankers to deliver free water to the people, as a temporary solution,” Cabaron said.

Cabaron recalled that several years ago, the Moalboal municipal government took over the water system from the water district after four people died and 300 people were hospitalized due to diarrhea.

The water district filed a case in 2004, but the court upheld the takeover. The case is still pending at the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Barili, Cebu.

Cabaron said if the town will lose the case, they will turn over the water system back to the water district. But if the LGU will win the case, they will apply for a P100 million loan to completely rehabilitate the entire water system for the entire municipality.

Cabaron said he consulted Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) General Manager Eugene Singson, who advised them to re-pipe the entire water system.

Water terrorism has been an issue against me every election.

INOCENTES CABARON Moalboal Mayor