Sa inilabas na pahayag, sinabi ni Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo na binigyan ng opsyon ang dalawang water concessionaire na tanggapin ang bagong kontrata.
Gayunman, sakaling tanggapin ang bagong kontrata, sinabi ni Panelo na wala pa ring katiyakan na hindi sila sasampahan ng kaso bunsod ng naunang kontrata.
“The Chief Executive is giving the water concessionaires the option of accepting the new contracts without any guarantee of not being criminally prosecuted together with those who conspired to craft the very onerous contracts which are void ab initio for violating the Constitution and the laws of the land,” ayon kay Panelo.
Kung hindi man tanggapin ang bagong kontrata, sinabi ni Panelo na kakanselahin ang nagpapatuloy na concession agreement.
“Should Maynilad and Manila Water refuse to accept the new agreements, the Chief Executive will order the cancellation of their present water contracts, mandate the nationalization of water services in their respective areas of operation and prosecute all those involved, directly or indirectly, in the arrangement that led to the present suffering of the Filipino people,” ani Panelo.
Dagdag pa nito, iginiit ng pangulo sa Cabinet meeting na hindi dapat ma-exploit ang tubig para makakuha ng bilyun-bilyong pisong halaga mula sa mga konsyumer.
Ipinunto din aniya ng pangulo na ang tubig ay isang natural resource na ibinigay ng Panginoon kung kaya’t hindi ito dapat itrato bilang “mere commercial commodity.”
Hindi aniya kaya ng pangulo na magbulag-bulagan sa anomalya sa nasabing kontrata.
Dagdag pa ni Panelo, nananatiling prinsipyo ng administrasyong Duterte na protektahan ang interes ng mga Filipino.
“Serving and protecting the interest of the Filipino people is the underlying principle that forms the basis of the President’s governance. All his acts since his assumption to the presidency were – and are – geared toward this end,” sinabi ni Panelo.