Water connections of at least 50 residential buildings in Barangay Sacsac, Bacong town, Oriental Negros, were reportedly cut off because they were supporters of the losing candidate for mayor in the last elections.

Fernandito Narciso and Roland Benida who represented the households as their spokespersons, told the DAILY STAR this happened three days after newly-elected mayor Lenin Alviola assumed office.

Narciso and other water concessionaires had asked for the intervention of Governor-elect Emilio Macias II in restoring their water connections.

They said they were victims of this scheme because they had supported defeated candidate Rodolfo Yee. Provincial legal officer Erwin Vergara cited several options, one of them through a diplomatic way, or to file for a mandatory injunction before the courts.

Narciso pointed to Alviola as the brains behind this, although Berbran Tañara of the Bacong water district was identified as the one allegedly responsible for the cutting of the connections.

Residents had claimed that this also happened in barangays Isugan, Tubod, Timbao, Lutao, Buntod and Doldol.

Alviola, however, denied he was behind the problem. He said massive disconnections will be undertaken next week on water concessionaires found to have unpaid bills.

Alviola told the residents to come to his office, and discuss their problem. He also said the water district is undertaking rehabilitation work in some barangays, and that could be the reason for the disconnections.*JG

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