DISPUTE ESCALATES: DPWH-ICDEO Slams Iloilo City Over ‘Illegal’ Project Suspension

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

The clash between the Iloilo City Government and the Department of Public Works and Highways–Iloilo City District Engineering Office (DPWH-ICDEO) escalated this week as DPWH-ICDEO chief Roy Pacanan fired back at city officials, refuting accusations and branding the mayor’s Cease and Desist Order (CDO) against national projects as legally baseless and overreaching.

In a letter dated April 29, 2025, addressed to DPWH Regional Director Sanny Boy Oropel, Pacanan challenged the claims made by Assistant City Legal Officer GV Eutiquio Cuñada, who had earlier accused the ICDEO of communication lapses, permitting violations, and poor project accountability.

Pacanan countered that the CDO issued by Mayor Jerry Treñas on April 22 was “whimsically, arbitrarily and despotically” enacted and lacked legal grounding.

He maintained that the city government has no authority to suspend or block national government projects based on the absence of permits that are not required under national law.

“The issuance of a cease and desist order or any form of suspension by the city government solely on the ground of lack of local permits is ultra vires and has no basis in fact and in law,” Pacanan wrote.

He cited DILG Opinion No. 144, series of 2022, which clarified that mayor’s and barangay permits are not prerequisites for national government projects, as these are not business undertakings subject to local business regulations.

In response to Cuñada’s claim that the ICDEO failed to secure excavation permits, Pacanan emphasized that excavation permits for DPWH projects—such as the traffic signalization initiative—are issued by the DPWH itself, not by the local government.

The ICDEO also disputed the allegation that road closures lacked proper coordination.

Pacanan revealed that four separate letters had been sent to Treñas requesting coordination on traffic management, but no road closure ordinance was ever issued in return.

On the topic of project transparency, Pacanan asserted that the ICDEO has consistently submitted Monthly Status Reports since 2019, including updates and documentation, yet many communications allegedly went unacknowledged or were significantly delayed by the city government.

“It is ironic that those accusing us of delay have themselves caused delay,” Pacanan said, directly challenging the narrative of non-coordination from City Hall.

Regarding claims of missing project signage, the ICDEO said required tarpaulin signboards were posted where applicable but admitted that in some cases, they were either overlooked or not communicated due to breakdowns in coordination.

Pacanan also took a swipe at the city’s own alleged violations, pointing out that City Hall’s drainage works in Barangay Sooc, Arevalo were implemented without excavation permits or prior coordination, the same grounds used to justify the CDO against the ICDEO.

Further, he questioned the procedural integrity of the city’s actions, noting that the latest CDO came directly from the mayor, while a previous one had been issued by an OIC City Engineer, suggesting inconsistencies in how the city enforces project suspensions.

In a sharp rebuke, Pacanan recalled that USWAG Multi-Purpose Buildings funded and implemented by the DPWH from 2012 to 2018—during Mayor Treñas’ term as congressman—were completed without building permits, yet faced no obstruction.

He also pointed out the irony that the current City Building Official, who now enforces permitting requirements against DPWH projects, is a former DPWH-ICDEO official.

Pacanan argued that the city’s actions reflected not legitimate oversight, but political obstructionism, adding, “Public officials must be duty-bound to facilitate—not hinder—initiatives that advance the common good.”

Earlier, Cuñada accused the ICDEO of ignoring official communications and failing to address multiple project concerns, including budget disclosures, specifications, and pending building permits under Republic Act No. 12116 (General Appropriations Act of 2025).

He cited Sections 26 and 27 of the Local Government Code to assert that national agencies must consult and coordinate with local governments on development projects.

Cuñada claimed that failure to secure barangay permits—a supposed prerequisite for city permits—demonstrated the ICDEO’s disregard for legal process and public accountability.

He also questioned the lack of itemized funding for 2025 projects and called for clarification on the status of unfinished works across the city.

According to Cuñada, the city had invited the ICDEO to a dialogue in March, which the district office declined, allegedly because correspondence was directed to the regional director instead of Pacanan.

In response, Pacanan asserted that letters addressed to the regional office, even with attention to his name, did not constitute proper communication, especially if city officials had not made direct efforts to engage with the district office.

The ongoing rift underscores a deep institutional divide between the two government entities, with both sides entrenched in conflicting interpretations of legal authority, administrative procedure, and political responsibility.

While Cuñada insists that “the people of Iloilo City deserve clarity,” Pacanan maintains that it is the ICDEO, not City Hall, that is operating within the bounds of law and good governance.