CAGAYAN De Oro City — Mayor Rolando “Klarex” Uy ordered the deployment of Police Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams to the main Rio Verde water treatment facilities to prevent the Cagayan de Oro Bull Water Inc. (COBI) from shutting down the water supply to Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) after the 30 April deadline due to unpaid water bills.

He said he issued the order at 1 a.m after he received a report that COBI has ordered Rio Verde to shut down the water supply in the city.

“I used my police powers to ensure water supply in the city, because the stake of the people was at risk, water is a basic necessity,” he said in a radio interview.

“I requested the police to provide security and to ensure nobody touches the water valve lines,” Uy said.

Councilor Edgar Cabanlas, head of the Task Force City Water said the deployment of the SWAT team was an offshoot of the order of the COBI to Rio Verde to stop delivering water to the COWD after the 30 April deadline to pay its more than P400 million unpaid water bills.

He said the deployment of the police is one of the recommendations of the city water task force as an emergency plan in case COBI cut off the supply to COWD which would affect thousands of residents in the city.

“We recommend that Mayor Rolando “Klarex” Uy issue an executive order declaring an emergency in the city,” he said.

Cabanlas said the contingency plan is to seek an injunction from the local court against the stoppage order of the COBI to Rio Verde.

COBI has issued a disconnection notice of Rio Verde hours before the April 30 deadline expires causing panic among residents who began stockpiling water in their homes. However, in an advisory COWD has assured that water supply will continue as a contingency plan is already in place.

Cagayan de Oro Police Office director Police Colonel Salvador Radam confirmed the deployment of police operatives to secure the main water valve line along Masterson Avenue and in the Rio Verde main water treatment facilities in the barangay hinterland of Taguanao.

He said the order from Mayor Uy was to ensure that the valve lines are open and nobody is allowed to enter the area was until further notice from the city government.