By EUGENE ADIONG
BACOLOD City — Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa) general manager Juliana Carbon has been suspended for 30 days effective Thursday.
In a resolution, the water district’s Board of Directors ordered Carbon’s suspension for “loss of trust and confidence, dishonesty, fraud, negligence, insubordination, and grave misconduct.”
Marichi Ramos, Baciwa Board secretary, yesterday said Carbon’s suspension was part of due process.
Ramos said Carbon was given the chance “answer the accusations against her, [whether] verbally or in written form.” The general manager “can (also) take the services of a lawyer,” she said.
Specifically, according to Board Resolution No. 148, Carbon was suspended due to the following:
- alleged willful misrepresentation of the Murcia Water District bulk water supply contract with Baciwa
- appointment of officers-in-charge, and giving representation and transportation allowance without the approval of the Board
- alleged fraudulent certificate of completion and final acceptance without Board authority, and without the project having been completed as part of the P537-million loan in Phase III
- nondisclosure of the 7.5-kilometer pipeline from Granada to Burgos–Lopez Jaena, which was not interconnected to the Baciwa system since 2008
- nondisclosure of the P241-million retained earnings of Baciwa
- non-reporting of the 750-kilovolt-ampere generator as part of Baciwa assets
- nondisclosure of the Mansilingan reservoir and the six booster pumps, which allegedly have not been used as part of the P537-million loan
- continuous disbursement of employees allowance, which was previously disallowed by the Commission on Audit
- abnormally high nonrevenue water; and
- consistent refusal to meet with the chairman in the board room for conferences relative to Baciwa matters.
Carbon cannot be reached for comment as of press time in spite of this paper’s attempts.
She is prevented from getting inside the Baciwa office and the water district’s properties and facilities, Ramos said.
Ramos said the Board will have an emergency meeting today to decide whom to appoint as acting general manager. Assistant General Manager Samuel Penado refused to take the post, she added.
The Board on Thursday voted 3-2 in favor of Carbon’s suspension. Ramos and Board chair Lawrence Villanueva and vice chair Lorendo Dilag were in favor of it, while Ma. Aida Torre and Cecilia Henares were against it./PN
