Malacañang on Friday rejected Vice President Sara Duterte’s suggestion that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to investigate PrimeWater, a utility firm owned by the Villar family, was politically driven.
Duterte suggested that the probe may be linked to her endorsement of Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar, seeking a Senate seat in the 2025 midterm elections.
“We cannot expect anything nice, or any nice word from the Vice President in favor of the President, and of the present administration. She will always use that excuse or defense of pamumulitika without really answering or responding directly to the issues,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said.
“Nais sana natin na kung anuman ang pakikipag-argumento o pakikipagdiskusyon ng Bise Presidente, sana ay i-level natin: rason sa rason, datos sa datos wag gamitan ng masamang pananalita or pagmumura,” she added.
PrimeWater is willing to engage in constructive dialogue with the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), saying it is committed to addressing service concerns and improving operations in underserved areas.
In a statement, the company said, “We assure our public that we are intensifying our initiatives to address the requirements and satisfy the demand particularly those in challenged service areas.”* It added, *“Rest assured that we remain fully committed to fulfilling our obligations with our partners to deliver the long-term improvements necessary for stable, reliable, and sustainable water in our service areas.”
Meanwhile, Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidates Erwin Tulfo, Vicente Sotto III, Panfilo Lacson, and Benhur Abalos dismissed claims that the probe into PrimeWater is politically motivated.
“Ang ginawa po ng Pangulo it is not politically motivated because kaliwa’t kanan na po ‘yong sumbong mismong mga LGU na kausap po namin dito, kausap po namin sa Pampanga, Albay. LGU na po ‘yong nagsasabi imposible namang hindi nakakarating sa Malacanang,” Tulfo said during the Alyansa Press conference in Lucena City.
“Ganito na lang, baliktarin na lang natin. Paano kung bawat isa na nasa kwarto ngayon wala kayong tubig. Humanap kayo ng bayad halos ang sama ng serbisyo lahat na nirereklamo. How would each one react?” Abalos added.
Sotto said that anything concerning the people’s basic needs should be addressed quickly.
“Whether it involves a politician or not, or whatever, or whoever is involved, as long as it’s the basic need of the people, therefore the government should address it right away,” he said.
“That is about time. Walang politics involved kapag ‘yong basic necessity ng ating mga kababayan ang involved,” Lacson added.
According to LWUA chief Ronnie D. Castro, the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) officially launched its investigation into PrimeWater on Friday, May 2, amid growing complaints from consumers in multiple provinces over the company’s inadequate service.
