MANILA, Philippines -- Maynilad Water Services, Inc. and the Manila Water Co., Inc. are public utilities that are barred from passing on to consumers their corporate income taxes as operating expenses, the Supreme Court said in a ruling made public on Monday. "Considering that Manila Water and Maynilad operate the waterworks and sewerage system, they are public utilities which are expressly prohibited from passing on to consumers their corporate income taxes as operating expenses," the Supreme Court said in a 102-page ruling penned by Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen. Citing a 2002 SC decision Republic of the Philippines vs. Meralco, it said that to ch...Keep on reading: SC: Water concessionaires can’t pass corporate income tax to customers