Oca Accuses Klarex Of Extortion, Klarex Nixes Claim As Hearsay

By Mona Lagbas

April 5, 2025, Cagayan de Oro City_Former City Mayor Oscar Moreno has accused incumbent local chief executive Rolando "Klarex" Uy and a certain Eric of allegedly extorting money from Metro Pacific, the mother company of Cagayan de Oro Bulkwater Incorporated or COBI amidst the controversy last year over the water supply situation in the city. Moreno said that there would not have been a standoff between COBI and the Cagayan de Oro Water District or COWD had Metro Pacific acceded to the alleged extortion attempt.

Moreno, who is seeking a comeback as city mayor, added that Metro Pacific rejected the alleged extortion try by saying that Metro Pacific had a name to protect and would not engage in irregular transactions.

In response, Kauban Ta Uy convenor and former consultant of the Moreno administration, Bencyrus Ellorin, stated," He is a lawyer.

Extortion is a crime, unless he has evidence, what he is saying is hearsay. But, we also heard duna siya'y (Moreno) bahin per cubic meter of water of sales from COBI to COWD.

In fact, there were also rumours the same was offered when Klarex became mayor, but Klarex turned it down.

We do not glorify these hearsay. If we stick with the factual narrative of the COWD issue, Oca did not solve the COWD problem. He made it worse by giving imprimatur to the 2017 bulkwater contract between COBI and COWD, the contents of which was only disclosed in 2024, and found to be onerous."

"Klarex's only fault is to protect the people from unjust water rates increases even if that meant standing up against big business and their corrupt local agents, " said Ellorin.