ILOILO City – United Filipino Consumers and Commuters (UFCC) president Rodolfo “Ka RJ” Javellana has called on Councilor Plaridel Nava to straighten his facts on the controversial faulty Ungka flyover so as not to muddle the issue on who truly are accountable in the P680-million fiasco.
Javellana pointed out during a radio interview that misleading information might even help the real culprits escape accountability and confuse the public.
On June 5, Nava filed charges against four officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6 and two from the project contractor before the Office of the Ombudsman Region 6.
The charges were for alleged violation of Section 3 of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Javellana, however, stressed on focusing on the root of the problem, which is sloppy soil testing that led to faulty design.
He said the United Technology Consolidated Partnership (UTCP) is the geotechnical consultancy firm that the Department of Public Works and Highways’ Bureau of Design (DPWH-BOD) commissioned to conduct the soil test and come up with the design for the Ungka flyover.
Javellana cited experts’ opinions like those of Nilo Jardeleza, an Iloilo-based structural engineer who said that the design of the flyover, which was submitted by the UTCP to the Bureau of Designs of the DPWH Central Office, was the main issue.
Only after all the documents and necessary inspections were made that the final design and plan for the Ungka flyover were given to DPWH Region 6 for bidding, construction oversight and quality control, said Javellana.
The process was to ensure that the local construction company contracted to build the project would strictly follow the designed provided for by DPWH Central Office and UTCP, he added.
The UFCC president also berated individuals who tore down the banners they put up along the Ungka flyover as support to the indignation of residents of Iloilo City for the lack of accountability of the DPWH Central Office and the UTCP in answering to the now rendered useless Ungka flyover.
Recently, the UFCC issued a statement urging President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Congress to scrutinize the deal between the DPWH-BOD and UTCP for the Ungka flyover and hold all parties involved accountable./PN
