ILOILO – A right-of-way (ROW) dispute under the Aganan Flyover in Barangay Aganan, Pavia town could escalate into a full-blown standoff, with the landowning Jamotillo family warning that they may physically block the national highway if the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the project contractor fail to settle what they allege to be unpaid compensation for their property.
Motorists were startled Wednesday morning, Dec. 3, after a large tarpaulin reading “private property no trespassing” appeared beneath the flyover — a dramatic protest move that the family says was triggered by years of inaction on their claim.
According to the Jamotillos, around 1,142 square meters of their land — valued at P1.9 million — was used for the construction of the Aganan flyover. They said they submitted complete documents to DPWH in October 2023 and have been repeatedly following up on their claim, only to be told that “gina-file pa ang claims sa national office.”
The family also alleged that in October 2025, an engineer from contractor International Builders Corporation (IBC) personally assured them that payment would be released, but “asta subong wala man nagtupa,” prompting their decision to put up the signage.
The Jamotillos said they are preparing a formal demand letter through their legal counsel to be sent to both DPWH and IBC.
More alarmingly, the family warned that if authorities continue to ignore them, their next step would be to place an actual baral — a barricade — to stop vehicles from passing in the direction of Santa Barbara.
They apologized in advance to affected motorists, saying they hope the public understands their reason if the situation escalates further./PN
