PrimeWater probe not about politics - Palace
Metro Manila, Philippines - Malacañang on Friday said the investigation on Villar-owned PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. is based on public complaints and not driven by politics, rejecting Vice President Sara Duterte’s claim that it is meant to target a senatorial candidate she supports.
“Tandaan natin, ang PrimeWater anuman naging transaksyon nito, dahil umiiyak ang karamihan dapat po talagang ma-imbestigahan. So, wala pong pamumulitika ito, hindi po lahat ng ginagawa ng administrasyon para sa taumbayan ay pulos or mamumulitika,” said Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro.
[Translation: Remember, whatever transactions PrimeWater may have had, since many are crying out, this must truly be investigated. So this is not politicking. Not everything the administration does for the people is about politics.]
Vice President Duterte earlier accused the administration of using the probe to go after Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar, a senatorial bet whom she recently endorsed.
“Malamang, dahil lahat naman ng galawan ngayon ng administrasyon ay dahil sa politika… Wala na akong nakita na ginawa ng administrasyon na ito para sa kapayapaan at kaunlaran ng ating bayan, kundi lahat ay pag-atake lamang sa politika at sa mga taong hindi nila kayang takutin at hindi nila kayang bilhin,” Duterte said.
[Translation: This is likely, since all the actions done by the current administration have to do with politics… I have not seen this administration do anything for peace and the development of our country, only political attacks against people they cannot scare or buy.]
Castro pushed back, saying Duterte frequently uses the same defense.
“We cannot expect anything nice or any nice word from the vice president in favor of the president and of the present administration,” Castro said. “She will always use the excuse or defense of politics without really answering or responding directly to the issues.”
“Unang-una po, since 2023 noong pumutok na po ang patungkol sa confidential funds at na ito ay nagastos sa loob lamang ng 11 days, iyan din po ang kanyang nasabi. Napaka-agang pamumulitika,” she added.
[Translation: First of all, since 2023 when the issue of confidential funds broke out and how it was spent in just 11 days, she said the same thing. Early politicking.]
On the PrimeWater probe, Castro said the investigation is a response to years of public complaints.
“Ngayon, patungkol po dito sa pagpapa-imbestiga ng PrimeWater, tandaan po natin, marami na po na mga kababayan natin, ang customers po ng PrimeWater na siyang umiiyak. Hindi po ito bago, kaya po nakakapagtaka kung bakit hindi ito na-solusyunan sa nakaraang administrasyon,” she said.
[Translation: On this investigation into PrimeWater, let’s remember that many of our countrymen - PrimeWater customers - have long been crying out. This is not new, so it’s surprising why it was not resolved during the previous administration]
“Well, anyway namayagpag naman po ang PrimeWater noong taong 2018 sa panahon po ni dating Pangulong Duterte.”
[Translation: Well, anyway, PrimeWater flourished in 2018 during the term of former President Duterte.]
Castro called on Duterte to engage in a more respectful exchange of ideas.
The palace official said the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) officially began the probe on May 2. She added that the investigation will be extensive, as PrimeWater has around 73 joint venture agreements with a number of local water districts.
“Unang-una, ang umiiyak po ay Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Bohol, Pangasinan. Hindi lamang po iyan, marami pa pong iba,” Castro said.
[Translation: First of all, those crying out are from Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Bohol, Pangasinan. And many more.]
Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, a political coalition allied with the Marcos administration, said Villar remains part of its senatorial slate.
However, the group expressed full support for the president’s decision to investigate PrimeWater.
The company has yet to issue a comment. NewsWatch Plus sought a statement from the Villar camp.
