Manila, July 8 -- Malacanang on Tuesday clarified that it is not insinuating that former Public Works Secretary and incumbent Senator Mark Villar was behind the joint venture deals entered into by PrimeWater with local water districts.

In a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro addressed questions regarding the timing of the deals, which increased around 2019 when Villar was head of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), then the supervising agency of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).

"Ang pagkaka-describe lang naman natin ay mas dumami noong 2019 at noong ito'y na-attach nga sa DPWH, 'yung LWUA (What we noted is that the number increased in 2019, when LWUA was attached to DPWH)," Castro said.

"...