Back off from Buri Road project, Bing told

BACOLOD City Mayor Monico Puentevella urged Thursday his political rival Representative Evelio Leonardia to back off after the latter slammed the former for ordering to stop the P50-million Buri Road project in Barangay Mandalagan.

Puentevella wrote Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio Singson, telling him that the good roads improved during his term as congressman were destroyed by DPWH Bacolod District Engineer’s Office without his knowledge.

Leonardia accused Puentevella of being an obstructionist for ordering to stop work the Buri road project.

“This is obstructionist politics at its worst,” Leonardia said, adding that Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez said the fund allocated for the project could be reverted.

For his part, Puentevella said he is acting on the matter as 11 private property owners have complained to his office through their legal counsel Lawyer Pauline Tumunong-Nuega, whose husband Engineer Alan Nuega is a cousin of former Bacolod congressman John Orola Jr., who is among the claimants.

The claimants asked Puentevella to help them institute a claim for just compensation on their properties used for the Honorata G. Manalo Road project, formerly Buri Road, the mayor said.

He added that they already sought redress from the DPWH, but no concrete action has been made.

The said road is being demolished by DPWH to construct a tourism road without our approval being the property owners, the complainants said.

"It is our non-negotiable request to stop the destruction to our properties until we come to an agreement. Further destruction to the road in question will only compound our sufferings and will result to further damage on our part," they added.

Buri Road connects Lacson St. in Mandalagan to the Circumfererential Road leading to the Bacolod-Silay International Airport. It is funded with a P50-million budget in 2015 and an additional P60 million in the 2016 budget under tourism expenditures, according to Leonardia.

Puentevella added that he has requested assistance from Senator Cynthia Villar and also wrote to Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II and DPWH Secretary Singson for the widening of the road instead.

It turned out that the DPWH has destroyed good roads, the mayor said.

Singson through DPWH Undersecretary Romeo Momo issued a memorandum order dated August 7, 2015 to DPWH- Western Visayas Director Edilberto Tayao, directing him to check if the road is still in good condition.

They were ordered to conduct an actual inspection and investigation on the matter and submit findings and/or observation on the allegation.

The DPWH chief also directed the district engineer concerned (Engr. Abraham Villareal) to abide with the Department Order No. 110, series of 2015 which is the guidelines on project reporting to congressmen and local officials, and that reports shall be transmitted to the offices of local officials concerned with acknowledgment receipt.

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