ILOILO – Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. has thrown his weight behind calls for a full-blown probe into the controversial ₱560-million Aganan Flyover in Pavia, stressing that accountability and proper use of public funds must be pursued after years of delay, technical setbacks, and rising corruption allegations.
Defensor’s backing comes as the Pavia local government revealed it had already sought an investigation by the Commission on Audit (COA) and the Office of the Ombudsman as early as 2023, even before protesters recently took to the streets to denounce the project as a “monument of corruption”.
“Mayo gid. I’ve been following up the process of that… mga status sang aton infrastructure. Kay ginadalian man ina naton. So, we join any call to fast-track the implementation or completion of the project. Importante nga maubra nila sang husto. Muna ginaduso naton, nga may nagakaigo ina nga budget para matapos na,” the governor said.
The flyover, which broke ground in 2020, has remained incomplete due to foundation issues.
The governor added that the provincial government would continue pressing for answers on the project’s structural integrity and technical compliance.
Defensor also voiced confidence that ongoing investigations will clarify questions over the flyover’s construction flaws.
“As we inquire about its structural integrity and potential technicalities, our objective remains to expedite the implementation processes based on those findings,” he said.
The Aganan Flyover was initially designed for completion within 24 months after its July 2020 start but ground to a halt by December 2022. To address the shallow foundation issue, jet grouting is being employed.
On September 18, an estimated 200 demonstrators led by transport groups and civic organizations staged a protest at the site, demanding transparency and accountability from government officials. They blasted the unfinished structure as a symbol of mismanagement and corruption, amplifying pressure on authorities to explain how public money has been handled in one of Iloilo’s most controversial infrastructure projects./PN
