4 days ago
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ILOILO CITY — The word war between the officer in charge of the Iloilo City District Engineering Office (Icdeo) of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Mayor Jerry Treñas continues to escalate, with accusations of political maneuvering taking center stage.
In a memorandum dated March 21, Icdeo Officer-in-Charge Roy Pacanan fired back at Treñas, saying the mayor's accusations against his office were "part of a broader attempt to shift blame and distract the people from the city government's own shortcomings."
"(Icdeo) will not fall for any political sleight of hand," he added.
Pacanan also accused the city mayor of spreading unverified information on social media about the agency's alleged lack of coordination.
He argued that the city government had been receiving monthly status reports on infrastructure projects since 2019, in line with DPWH Department Order 110, series of 2015, which mandates regular updates to local officials.
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"As the Local Chief Executive of the City of Iloilo, we wish to remind Mayor Treñas to be more circumspect in posting unverified information in social media," he said.
Pacanan's recent statement is a response to the city mayor's request to DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan to investigate the alleged delayed projects of the Icdeo.
Among the projects flagged by the city government include the Mandurriao Public Market and several multi-purpose buildings in Barangay Concepcion, Tanza Esperanza, Katilingban, North Fundidor, Balantang, and San Isidro in Jaro District.
In his letter to Bonoan, the mayor raised concerns over Icdeo's lack of transparency regarding the budget and funding sources of the projects.
In response, Pacanan accused the mayor of selectively omitting facts to manipulate public perception.
He also noted that Treñas had bypassed direct communication with the local engineering office, opting instead to address concerns through the DPWH Central Office, further contributing to administrative delays.
Pacanan maintained his previous stance that the city government had intentionally delayed coordination meetings, hindering the progress of ongoing projects.
He called out Treñas for what he described as a public display of willingness to assist Icdeo, while allegedly obstructing the implementation of key initiatives.
"While publicly expressing his intent to assist Icdeo, in reality, he is the one delaying the implementation of the projects — clearly disingenuous," he said.
The district engineer also pointed to the city's own unfinished projects, including the construction of the Arevalo, La Paz, and Jaro Big Markets and the Iloilo City Hospital.
