CAGAYAN de Oro City mayoralty candidate Jose Gabriel "Pompee" La Viña is facing complaints from his three neighbors in Barangay Bulua, who alleged that he manipulated an access road project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
La Viña dismissed the allegation, saying that the DPWH merely informed him that the project would traverse his property. He did not object, believing that it can help the public.
On Thursday afternoon, April 11, La Viña's three neighbors were present in the committee hearing of the city council's public works chaired by councilor Zaldy Ocon.
The councilor is a known ally of incumbent Mayor Oscar Moreno, who recently unearthed issues against La Viña.
The issue on Bulua's access road project was made public by Ocon during a Special Report in the city council session last month.
One of the complainants, Engineer Hilario Balvin, told the committee that the DPWH, without their permission, diverted the road to favor the property of La Viña.
He claimed that La Viña had visited him and convinced him to divert the road.
Balvin said he initially agreed with La Viña's plan, but suggested that before any actions will be taken on the property, another public hearing should be conducted to inform the public of the original plan.
He said he was shocked when a bulldozer was about to enter his property to start the construction. He refused to allow the operator to enter his property and later received a call from an angry La Viña.
"Gibalikas ko, giaway ko, giingnan ug di maayo, demonyo kuno ko (I was cussed, confronted, and told unsavory things, that I was a demon)," he said.
La Viña did not attend the committee hearing but sent a letter to the committee instead.
In the letter, La Viña belied claims that he forced the DPWH to divert the road to favor him. He said he did not object to the new plan since he believed this will help decongest traffic in the area. He said he agreed in writing for them to proceed with the project.
"The allegation on my intervention is not true. Whoever is responsible for inventing such story should come into open and execute an affidavit so that I can answer and deal with it in a proper forum," he said.
The hearing adjourned with Ocon's committee creating a resolution that DPWH should follow the original project plan. DPWH has yet to issue a reply as of this writing.