‘OUTRIGHT FALSEHOODS’: City Hall Hits Back at Pacanan for Politicizing ICDEO Project Issues

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The word war continues between Iloilo City Hall and the Department of Public Works and Highways-Iloilo City District Engineering Office (DPWH-ICDEO).

The Iloilo City Legal Office called out “outright falsehoods” from ICDEO head Engr. Roy Pacanan, accusing him of politicizing delays and red tape allegations tied to city infrastructure projects.

In an April 4 letter to DPWH Region 6 Director Sonny Boy Oropel, City Legal Officer Edgardo Gil described Pacanan’s remarks as “politically motivated” and a diversion from the agency’s own delayed and questionable projects.

“It is unfortunate that he (Pacanan) indulges in politics in an attempt to redirect the issues on delays, unfinished projects and anomalies that his office has implemented,” the letter read.

Gil said the city government acted on complaints from barangay captains and concerned citizens, which were legitimate and well-documented.

He accused ICDEO of violating Supreme Court rulings and DPWH directives by failing to properly coordinate with the local government.

Gil emphasized that merely submitting project reports does not meet the legal requirement for LGU coordination.

He urged Oropel to investigate Pacanan’s conduct and enforce compliance with inter-agency coordination protocols.

“Given the absence of proper coordination as required, the implementation of projects by the ICDEO with the Iloilo City Government falls short of compliance,” Gil said.

OBO Not at Fault

Gil’s letter responded directly to Pacanan’s April 1 memo accusing Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas of being a “power monger” and engaging in “dirty politics” by questioning project delays and funding transparency.

Pacanan claimed Treñas had repeatedly raised issues already addressed in earlier memos.

He also accused the city of double standards and questioned Treñas’ handling of 190 city-funded projects, including the Iloilo City Hospital and three public markets, which he claimed remain unfinished.

Pacanan blamed the Office of the Building Official (OBO) for the delayed release of a permit for a social services center in Barangay San Agustin.

He alleged that the permit was issued more than a year after the application was filed.

Gil countered that the delay was due to lapses by the contractor, not OBO, and presented a detailed timeline:

• The application was first submitted on Jan. 22, 2024, but returned on Feb. 2 due to technical deficiencies.
  • The contractor only resubmitted the corrected documents on Sept. 26, 2024.
  • OBO found the application compliant on Oct. 4 and issued an order of payment.
  • The contractor claimed the order on Nov. 7 and paid on Feb. 27, 2025.
  • The permit was issued on March 6 and claimed on March 11, 2025.

Gil said OBO acted “diligently and within reasonable time frames,” and that the delays were entirely the contractor’s fault.

“To imply otherwise is both unjust and an attempt to mislead the public,” he added.

‘Misrepresentation’ of Past Officials

Gil also rejected Pacanan’s claim that DPWH-ICDEO projects from 2012 to 2018—when Treñas was a congressman and Engr. Mavi Gustilo allegedly worked with DPWH—were implemented without proper permits.

He said official records show Gustilo only served as ICDEO construction section chief from September 2015 to June 2016, before being reassigned to the DPWH regional office.

She joined the city’s OBO in December 2020.

Gil added that during Gustilo’s tenure at ICDEO, project implementation adhered strictly to DPWH Department Order No. 110, series of 2015, which requires coordination with LGUs.

“This proactive approach ensured adherence to established procedures, effectively preventing potential disputes regarding landowner consent, particularly those involving the LGU,” he said.

He noted that this level of compliance stands in contrast to recurring issues with current projects under Pacanan’s watch.

Gil stressed that many delays could have been avoided had ICDEO followed the coordination requirements under the 2015 DPWH order.