United Filipino Consumers and Commuters (UFCC) president Rodolfo “Ka RJ” Javellana has called on Iloilo City 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.
During a radio interview, Javellana pointed out that misleading information might even help the real culprits escape accountability, and confuse the public, prompting them to speculate, even quibble on the issue.
He stressed on focusing on the root cause of the problem, which is sloppy soil testing that led to faulty design. The Department of Public Works and Highways’ Bureau of Design (DPWH-BOD) commissioned the United Technology Consolidated Partnership (UTCP) conduct the test and to come up with the design for the Ungka flyover.
Javellana urged Nava to listen to experts like Nilo Jardeleza, an Iloilo based structural engineer who said that the design of the flyover, which was submitted by UTCP to DPWH-BOD, was the main issue.
According to him, only after all the documents and necessary inspections were made that the final design and plan for the Ungka flyover were given to DPWH-6 for bidding, construction oversight and quality control.
The process, he said, was to ensure that the local construction company contracted to build the project would strictly follow the design provided for by DPWH Central Office and UTCP.
The UFCC president also berated the group of 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 DPWH-BOD and UTCP and hold all parties involved accountable.
