ILOILO CITY – The mayor of an Iloilo town that was badly hit by Typhoon “Frank” has accused Iloilo Rep. Judy Syjuco of allegedly “hijacking” and attempting to implement an overpriced project worth P28 million for a three-kilometer gravel road.

Pavia Mayor Arcadio Gorriceta said Syjuco had asked the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to release the funds through the DPWH in her district, after it was approved upon request of the local government of Pavia.

Gorriceta claimed that Syjuco took no interest in the project until the funds were approved and released.

“She said it should not be implemented by the province because it’s not a national road. But now she wants it. I find it highly irregular and anomalous,” Gorriceta told the Inquirer in a telephone interview.

Syjuco could not be reached for comment as of 2:48 p.m. Thursday. The Inquirer called her office at the House of Representatives in Quezon City twice and relayed to her staff a request for her statement on the issue, but she failed to respond or return the call.

The mayor said that last July, he requested financial assistance for the road repair project from the Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas who is also action officer of the Task Force Panay, the multi-agency body that supervises the rehabilitation program for areas damaged by Frank.

The project involves the repair of the 3.4-km Pagsanga-an-Tigum-Cabugao Norte Road in Pavia, which was destroyed by floodwaters during the typhoon.

The road connects Pavia with the neighboring town of Leganes and other Iloilo towns.
Gorriceta said he also requested the DPWH to allow the local government of Pavia to implement the project through a memorandum of agreement.

The mayor said that for the same amount, he had offered to construct a concrete road measuring 6.10 meters wide and 9 inches thick, instead of simply laying asphalt on the road as earlier requested.

Last Aug. 28, the DPWH informed Gorriceta that the fund will be released in three installments: P10 million, P10 million and P8 million.

But the mayor said he was surprised when he was informed on Sept. 4 that the initial P10.5 million was released to the DPWH 4th Engineering District upon the request of Syjuco.

Gorriceta claimed that the next day, district engineer George Suy informed him that the project had been awarded to Patrila Construction Co. through a negotiated contract because the repair was part of the province’s calamity assistance.

The mayor said Suy informed him that the work had started and this would involve restoration of the gravel road, not asphalting or concreting.

DPWH assistant regional director Joby Cordon, in a telephone interview, said what Syjuco did was not irregular.
Cordon said the appropriation was only one of the projects downloaded to the DPWH office in Syjuco’s district.

She said it was a regular practice among congressmen.

In a separate phone interview, Suy also said that the mayor “misinterpreted” their conversation regarding the awarding of the project.

“The project has not been awarded to any contractor. I told him that Patrila (Construction Company) was willing to work but it has to go through the bidding process,” he said.

Suy also said the project specification called for “repair and rehabilitation work,” which meant that the gravel road would be restored to its status before it was damaged.

Cordon said the project could also include road improvement, including asphalting and concreting.

However, Gorriceta said P28 million was “too much” for restoring the gravel road because the budget was intended for at least an asphalt road.