Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas is backing the proposal to conduct Congressional and Senate inquiries into the defective P680-million Ungka Flyover.
The newly built flyover is located between Iloilo City and the town of Pavia in Iloilo province. It has been closed to traffic since September 2022 due to its “sinking” piers of foundations.
Treñas, a former congressman, said senators and members of the House of Representatives have the authority to conduct formal investigations in aid of legislation.
The project was awarded by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to Iloilo-based contractor International Builders Corporation (IBC).
In a previous report by IMT NEWS, DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo said they will focus on looking for funds to fix the defects of the flyover instead of finger-pointing on who is to blame.
“Who’s at fault here? We could not determine who because we followed everything in the plan. I have nothing to tell you. We cannot explain what happened. All we can do now is to give solutions to the problem,” he told local reporters.
According to Abinales Associates Engineers + Consultant, the third-party consultancy firm hired by DPWH, at least P250 million will be needed to repair structure.IMT
