Legislative bldg. ‘sabotage’ claim sparks safety jitters in Iloilo City

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The suspected sabotage inside the new legislative building, on top of the recent public violence in the city streets, raises alarm that Iloilo City may no longer be safe, according to Vice Mayor Lady Julie Grace “Love-Love” Baronda.

“If the mayor says there is sabotage, it is very alarming because all the street fights and all the violence in the city, and now the legislative building, it only means Iloilo City is no longer safe because there is already sabotage in the legislative building,” she said on Tuesday.

On Monday, Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu said that based on the investigation, the major water leak from a flexible hose in the legislative building on August 28 is likely caused by sabotage.

The leak originated from a burst flexible hose that appeared punctured, which investigators said is something inconsistent with typical leaks, which usually occur at material connections.

Baronda, however, said she has not been informed of the investigation results, nor has she received an incident report.

She stressed that a full investigation of the entire building would be ideal and pledged her “101% cooperation” with authorities.

“In just two months, there was no proper turnover yet and the building is already marred with several issues,” she said, adding that the infrastructure problems could have been prevented with a proper turnover, especially since she heads the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP).

Baronda emphasized that she has “no access” to other offices, with access limited only to her own.

The vice mayor suggested reviewing the building’s CCTV footage to identify those responsible.

“We have CCTVs, and they have access to them. It would be better if we could put an end to that or find a solution because it is not the first time it has happened. It has been continuously complained about by the occupants of that building,” she said.

Treñas-Chu clarified that the Sangguniang Panlungsod has jurisdiction over the CCTV system and its operations, while the City Hall only oversees the first floors, occupied by the Office of the Building Official.

‘ISOLATED CASE’ 

Treñas-Chu assured the public that the reported sabotage at the legislative building is an isolated incident and does not compromise the overall safety of city government facilities.

“I want to assure the public that this is an isolated case and does not reflect the overall safety of our city facilities,” she said.

The city mayor said the city government has already tightened security in the area, including the deployment of additional guards and a review of CCTV access and coverage.

She added that the case has been referred to the National Bureau of Investigation for an impartial probe to ensure transparency and accountability.