By Ducky Paredes

FORMER MWSS Administrator Lorenzo Jamora was recommended to the post by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales and for good reason. Raul’s provincemate had done well as Local Water Utilities Administrator.

In 2001 LWUA was in bad financial shape. Loan availments for various projects reached only P642 million. Collection of interest and principal payments from loans granted to various water districts was a mere P860 million. Prior year’s collections were even less.

In 2002, under Jamora, marked improvements were achieved. Cash collections increased to P933 million and in 2003, P1.096 billion. These were attained through increased efficiency in the operations of water districts by way of LWUA’s training assistance, water rate review, installation of commercial systems or corporate practices, and better monitoring on the use of non-revenue water. (Non-revenue water is water supplied for free through the public or community faucets.)

The government’s provincial water supply development agenda got a much needed boost in 2004 with LWUA registering P2.4 billion in water project disbursements and P1.3 billion in loan collection from beneficiary water districts.

LWUA, under Jamora was cited by the Department of Finance (DOF) as among the few “truly earning government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs).”

Meanwhile, an additional 250,000 people residing in the countryside were given direct access to piped potable water supply with the completion 41 water system improvement and expansion projects in as many provincial areas worth a combined P685 million.

When Jamora was fired from the MWSS, it was a wonder why Raul Gonzales seemed to even be helping paint his former protégé in a bad light.

Around a month a half ago, in an interview on a prominent Iloilo radio station, Gonzales boasted that a case of plunder would “be filed against a high-ranking Ilonggo government official.” Raul was obviously alluding to Jamora.

At the time of that interview, no charges or complaints against Jamora were even on the horizon. But, of course, Gonzales’ prediction became true, as late last week, a complaint was filed at the DOJ by two employees of the MWSS.

Looking at the charges, they are flimsy at best. First, Jamora is accused of “plunder” because of allegedly misappropriating (without prior authorization) P791 million in MWSS funds.

Jamora purposely placed these funds in the Land Bank of the Philippines under trust with the MWSS (not any individual) as the sole trustee and beneficiary, which was then used to invest in high-yielding government securities. Jamora did this legally - with the Board’s approval. The money is safe, secure, fully accounted for, and held in Trust in the company’s name. Where is the impropriety in this?

Jamora is also accused of unliquidated advances amounting to P50 million. A quick look at the 2007 COA exit report shows that none of the auditors mentioned any unliquidated advances. How can the COA miss an amount like P50 million?

Perhaps the venue where the complaints were filed is more revealing than the charges themselves. If you have nothing substantial against your enemy, at least attack him on your own turf. Logically, these charges ought to have been brought before either the Office of the Ombudsman or to the Commission on Audit, considering that the issues concern an alleged misappropriation of funds from a grant to the water agency.

Also, how in the world did Gonzales know in advance that two employees of the MWSS would file charges against his former protégé? Thousands of people clearly heard Raul Gonzales on the radio; a recording and transcript are available.

Raul Gonzales could well be our worst Justice Secretary ever. His lack of popularity is legendary. Some of his critics refer to him as “Krung-Krung” because of his bizarre jokes and wild, irreverent comments. Others label him “Hitler” or “Goonzales” for the despotic way he runs the DOJ. To administration supporters, he’s a decrepit loose cannon who does more harm than good and should have been sent to pasture a long time ago.

But Raul is not about to exit the political scene when GMA leaves in 2010. He has, on several occasions, indicated his determination to present himself as a candidate for mayor of Iloilo City which is presently represented in Congress by his son Raul Jr. .

With his eyes fixed on the mayoralty, he’s now taking shots at his former protégé, former MWSS Administrator Lorenzo Jamora, whom he sees as his rival for the mayoralty of Iloilo City, Meanwhile, Palace insiders say that Jamora was tapped to discretely look into reports of wrongdoings of his successor at MWSS, Diosdado Allado. But, that’s another story all together.

Published in Malaya, 5 August 2008

One Response to “Jamora vs Gonzales”

• 1
  Joseph
  September 26th, 2008 15:36

  A Justice Secretary who relies on hearsay and indulges in back fence jibbering is better off with a megaphone bewailing attendees at the local baylihan. As usual the pompous and incorrigible buffoon passionately relies on mud slinging as an effective tool in resolving matters rather on gathered evidence and unbiased investigation. The ineptitude is highly embarassing.

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