CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Two former ranking local officials of Pampanga have separately called for an investigation on the collapse of the P91.48-million flood mitigation and drainage system project in Arayat town last Aug. 17.
Former multi-term Candaba Mayor Jerry Pelayo who also served as president of the Pampanga Mayors League, has called on all levels of government from the barangay to the municipal to the provincial and Congress to undertake an investigation on the Candating dike which collapsed three months before its target date of completion on Nov. 4.
“This was constructed precisely to mitigate flooding, do not reason now that its collapse is due to flooding,” Pelayo addressed the Department of Public Works and Highways in a social media post.
In an earlier statement, the DPWH said the cause of the collapse was the saturation of the embankment “exacerbated by recent typhoons, an intensified southwest monsoon, and water seepage from nearby residential areas, [placing] undue stress on the structure” with the “combined weight of the sheet piles and concrete capping further contributed to the structural failure” and a “whirlpool-like formation on the river side of the sheet piles may have further penetrated the embankment, worsening the saturation and leading to the collapse.”
Pelayo scoffed at the DPWH explanation citing that the standard project study included soil analysis that already determined all the factors noted by the DPWH which made inputs for the planning of a proper infrastructure.
Pelayo, currently a consultant at the Department of Agriculture, articulated his sentiments on flooding and its causes in a recent interview at the “Gising Pilipinas,” hosted by Alvin Elchico and Doris Bigornia over DMM Teleradyo.
“Look if the sheet piles [that buckled and collapsed] were properly compacted or if they met standards, else these were cut short of specifications [for the contractor] to increase profits,” Pelayo said.
In another social media post, Pelayo alleged the Candating dike constructor, Edmarri Construction & Trading, was also the contractor of some other infra projects in San Simon that were “sira la ngan (all damaged)”.
“Sobra no pera (they have amassed much money,” he said.
The owner of the construction company is reported to be related by affinity to Pampanga 4th District Rep. Anna York Bondoc-Sagum.
Pull out the sheet piles
“Pero paano po makikita kung pinutol? Nakabaon pa po eh. Bunutin muna, di ba? Para makita.”
Thus, suggested former Arayat Vice Mayor Sixto Mallari Jr. in a call to determine if the Candating dike sheet piles were really short of specifications which could have contributed greatly to its collapse.
“Pagka binunot po yun, instead na, for example, yung size nga nasa 50 meters, eh kung ang lumabas is 20 meters, talagang pinutol. Di ba? Eh mga bakal po yan eh,” he furthered.
This, even as he noted that “Barangay Candating is part of the Pampanga River. Nakapasok po siya sa ring dike… ‘yung portion talaga po na ‘yun, yun po yung hangga’t hindi nagagawa yung channeling, kahit anong gawin nila doon, masisira at masisira. Kahit gaano katibay. Kasi po, imagine, doon po kasi ang tumbok ng tubig.”
He lamented the loss of “hard earned funds” with the collapse of the dike, citing his role in the allocation. “Actually ‘yung pondong ‘yun, hiningi po ni mayora [incumbent Mayor Ma. Lourdes “Madir” Alejandrino] through a senator at ‘yung pondo bumaba sa DPWH at hindi dumaan sa local government. So ang gawa po noon is national.”
Mallari said that political opponents have made the dike collapse an issue against him and Alejandrino, as they are perceived to run in tandem for the 2025 eleactions.
“So recently, although alam naman natin pa palapit po yung election, may kanya-kanya kuro-kuro, paninira doon, paninira dito, but definitely lilitaw naman po yung totoo,” he rued.
Mallari said all these during a press briefing at the Gracelane Hotel here before the weekend. Punto News Team
