Lawyer John Dx Lapid. CDN Digital photo by Niña Mae Oliverio
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Lawyer John Dx Lapid, acting general manager of the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) and who was appointed by the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), has resigned from his post.
Lapid said he no longer wanted to get involved in the ongoing dispute between current MCWD officials and LWUA because it had already taken its toll on his family.
“Kapoy nako. Gikapoy na gyud ko. For me it’s not worth it nga away and naipit ko between sa parties involved ani, and naluoy na ko sa akong asawa with what’s happening right now. Family is above all. Basta pamilya na gani, dili nana manegotiate ang pamilya,” Lapid said in a social media post on Tuesday.
(I am tired. I am really tired. For me, the fight is not worth it, and I am caught in the middle between the two parties involved here, and I pity my wife with what’s happening right now. Family is above all. If family is involved, it is non-negotiable.)
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Also, Lapid said that he did not want to get involved in “politics” which he believed was the reason behind the leadership dispute at the water district.
“Mao na akong pagtuo gigamit nagpolitika. I don’t wanna name names og kinsa basta mao na akong tan-aw kay supposed to be the appointment was for the purpose of opening books, providing documents to LWUA, dili ingon ani nga nahitabo karon,” Lapid said.
(That is what I believed that this is used by politics. I don’t wanna name names and who they are, the way I looked at it because it was a supposed to be appointment for the purpose of opening books, providing documents to LWUA, that is not what happened now.)
“Dili man gud ko pulitiko nga tawo,” he added.
(I am not a political person.)
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‘Personal Interest’
Not wanting to be used for someone’s “personal interest,” Lapid said that he would rather resign.
The LWUA interim board of directors appointed Lapid as its MCWD OIC general manager last April 12. He was to replace suspended general manager, Edgar Donoso.
On Monday, Donoso issued a memorandum to bar his entry at the MCWD office. Lapid was only able to enter the building after he sought help of LWUA and City Hall officials.
“I want to make it clear, what we asked from the City Hall sa among suwat is actually police assistance. And we did not say nga isulod didto palingkoron ang OIC GM ug ang IBOD (interim board of directors). Dili na mao ang gipangayo namo. That’s what happened,” Lapid said.
(I want to make it clear, what we asked from the City Hall in what we wrote is actually police assistance. And we did not say that we will enter there and sit as OIC GM and the IBOD (interim board directors). This is not what we asked for. That’s what happened.)
On Tuesday morning, April 16, MCWD issued an advisory on the suspension of their operations due to a “security breach.”
A screenshot of Lapid’s Facebook post at 9:34 a.m. on April 16.
Physically tired
In an interview on Tuesday, Lapid said the recent turn of events made him to reconsider his decision to accept the LWUA appointment.
According to Lapid, since he is not a politician, he does not want to get involved in political maneuvers.
“Di ko ganahan og pulitika, kana bang nanarbaho ra man ko. Gisugo ra ko ba. I’m just following orders [from] LWUA. Unya LWUA is my regulator. Mao nang mutuman ko sa ilang sugo. Kung ingon ani nga nasudlan nag politics unya akong pamilya apektado na, mangundang ta. Hunongon na nato,” he said.
(I don’t like politics, I am just a working man. I am just ordered to do it. I’m just following orders [from] LWUA. And LWUA is my regulator. That is why I will obey orders. If it will be like this, where it is already tainted by politics and my family is already affected, then we’ll quit. Let’s stop this.)
Lapid said he already tendered his resignation as the OIC general manager of MCWD appointed by LWUA.
He also filed for a leave of absence as head of the water district’s Customer Care Division, and he is still “contemplating” when he will return to the said post.
“I wanna rest. I’m physically tired, mentally tired, psychologically tired. Lisod kaayo ni. Dili lalim ni nga away and lisod siya nga away kay giagi og ingon ani,” he added.
(I wanna rest. I’m physically tired, mentally tired, psychologically tired. It is so difficult. It is not an easy fight and this is a difficult fight because it was done this way.)