By Shiela Mae Butlig
and Mary Angelica Amerkhan
Correspondents
THE Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) has dismissed a video showing Interim General Manager Fermin Jarales entering the Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) office during a recent commotion, saying his presence was necessary.
This comes after CCTV footage circulated on social media on April 26, showing Jarales entering COWD alongside his escorts on Apri 16.
In a statement released April 27, LWUA said the eight-second footage did not capture Jarales’ full intention in entering COWD, noting that the district’s board had barred him from the premises.
“For clarity, our presence at the COWD was required due to the obstruction of our access to crucial local documents that are needed for us to continue transactions with banks,” LWUA’s statement reads in part.
The government agency pointed out that it needs the documents to pay suppliers, release employees' salaries, and manage ongoing criminal and administrative cases involving former officials, including Engineer Edna Najeal.
LWUA said securing these documents is part of its administrative and legal responsibilities.
“We proceeded to enter the COWD office after being prevented from doing so,” the statement added.
Jarales’ team contends that the cease-and-desist order issued by Branch 41 of the Cagayan de Oro Regional Trial Court is not yet final and executory, and they have filed a motion for reconsideration.
LWUA and the interim board emphasized their commitment to transparency and said they would provide a detailed statement regarding the authenticity of the CCTV footage.
In a separate statement, Jarales explained the circumstances behind the circulating footage, which shows him entering the agency’s premises with a group of masked individuals, though he did not specify whose personnel accompanied him.
He reiterated that access to key documents had been obstructed, preventing banking transactions, salary releases, and other administrative tasks.
Jarales emphasized that securing the documents is part of LWUA’s legal duties.
He also claimed that their entry was necessary after being blocked by former officials and supporters, and attributed the obstruction to a court judgment from Branch 41, which had issued a cease-and-desist order against LWUA’s intervention.
However, questions have arisen over Jarales’ authority to issue official statements on behalf of COWD, due to the ongoing legal dispute and court rulings.
Jarales acknowledged that his authority is under scrutiny, but maintained that LWUA, the interim board, and himself remain committed to transparency. He said a more detailed statement would be released once investigations into the video's authenticity are complete.
Despite the controversy, Jarales said the top priority remains ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of water services to Cagayan de Oro residents.
