‘FIX IT, FAST’: Drilon disappointed but will not disown sinking flyover

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Former senator Franklin Drilon said he still considers the sinking ₱680-million Ungka Flyover his legacy despite its structural woes.

Drilon, who secured the funding for the Ungka flyover and three other similar structures before he left politics in 2022, told reporters in Iloilo City on Monday that he will not disown the flyover which has caused traffic nightmares for Ilonggos.

“I knew that what [people] would like me to say is to disown it, I will not. That is a project that there will be problems, problems that are servable, and I urge that whatever defects there are, would be addressed as it is being addressed,” he said.

While he still takes credit for the flyover, Drilon said he is very much dejected by the defective structure.

“I’d be telling a lie if I say I’m not disappointed. I am disappointed. These things happen, not only here but in other projects of [the] government. We take it as part of doing these projects. You cannot have a perfect situation. What is important is that you are able to recover from whatever shortcomings there are,” he stated.

Drilon implied on the need for certainty from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to repair the defects of the sinking flyover.

“My primary concern on the [Ungka] flyover is to have it repaired, whatever defects there are, to have it remedied as soon as possible,” he said.

“When I allocated funds for that, it was with the purpose of making travel convenient for the people. So, I do hope, and I urge the [DPWH] to come up with the engineering intervention necessary so that the people can use [it] as soon as possible,” he added.

The 453.7-meter-long flyover, which straddles Iloilo City and the neighboring town of Pavia, was touted as one of Drilon’s “pet projects” prior to his retirement from politics in 2022.

It was approved by the Regional Development Council-6 (RDC-6) in 2014, while he was still Senate president, and was included in the DPWH’s 2019, 2020, and 2021 budgets when he was Senate Minority Leader.

He led the “topping ceremony” of the flyover on April 25 last year, where he considered the flyover as one of his “parting gifts” to the city.

During the groundbreaking of the ₱1.4-billion Iloilo Sunset Boulevard on that same day, he touted how he was able to have the projects funded despite being an opposition lawmaker.

But months after its opening, the flyover’s defects surfaced following complaints from motorists who noticed the wavy sensation while passing through the structure. It did not help that the carriageway was flooded after heavy rains.

A Pasig City-based engineering consultancy firm was hired to the tune of more than P13 million to probe the flyover. The results indicated that all 16 piers or foundations of the flyover were sinking, with three submerging by more than 1 foot.

The results and recommended repairs are expected to be released to the DPWH-Western Visayas on June 30.

Meanwhile, lawyer Eldrid Antiquiera will file today a request with the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate the controversial flyover.

Antiquiera said it is best that Ombudsman will dig deeper into the matter as it can summon officials and gather documents that could shed light on the issue.

On Monday, a criminal case was filed with the Office of the Ombudsman in Iloilo City against former DPWH-6 Regional Director Tiburcio Canlas and his successor Engr. Nerie Bueno, DPWH-6 Assistant Regional Director Jose Al Fruto, and Construction Division chief Ormel Santos in relation to the flyover’s defects.

They were accused of violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), which penalizes “causing any undue injury to any party, including the Government, or giving any private party any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official administrative or judicial functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence”.

Also included in the criminal case were Helen Edith Lee Tan and Allen Son Tan, who are the president and registered owner, respectively, of flyover contractor International Builders Corp,

An administrative complaint was also filed against Canlas, Bueno, Fruto, Santos, and other “John Does” for gross neglect of duty, grave misconduct, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of public service.