Senator Panfilo Lacson believes giving President Rodrigo Duterte “extraordinary powers” is key in solving the current water crisis in Metro Manila.
“Given a looming if not already existing water crisis, under Sec. 17, Art VII of the 1987 Constitution and existing jurisprudence (David vs Arroyo, GR No 171396 on May 3, 2006), Congress may delegate to the President the power of the state to take over the operation of public utilities,” Lacson said in a statement.
The senator however said Duterte should declare an emergency water situation first before he can be given emergency powers.
“And if Congress delegates that power to him, the government must be ready to compensate whatever losses the private concessionaire(s) would incur during the period of the government takeover,” Lacson explained.
In a media briefing, Duterte issued a warning to water operators and said that he is ready for a government take over.
“I will go there and operate it myself. I will take over and I will direct what to do,” Duterte said. (TN)
