ILOILO CITY – Engr. Roy Pacanan, Department of Public Works and Highways-Iloilo City district engineer, labeled Mayor Jerry Treñas as unethical and unprofessional.
MAYOR Jerry Treñas (left) speaks to District Engineer Roy Pacanan of the Department of Public Works and Highways-Iloilo City. Pacanan has been declared persona non grata by the Treñas administration. (Arnold Almacen/CMO/File)
“It is a basic tenet in ethics that making impulsive press statements without verifying facts is unprofessional. Public scolding without factual bases is unethical,” said Pacanan in a memorandum to DPWH-6 Regional Director Sanny Boy Oropel.
This is the latest development in the saga between Treñas and Pacanan. Treñas last June declared Pacanan persona non grata and blamed DPWH-Iloilo City for delaying drainage works on JM Basa St. during the holiday season.
Treñas said in a Dec. 17 letter to DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan that Pacanan committed to finish work by Dec. 13 but asked an extension until Dec. 16.
Pacanan said this was untrue. “This is erroneous and baseless. We never made such an assurance,” Pacanan said.
The Iloilo City Council passed a resolution allowing the closure of lanes on JM Basa St. for the project from Sept. 26 to July 2025.
Pacanan noted that DPWH heeded requests of the Iloilo City government to revise the project plan to accommodate underground cabling of electric and telecommunication lines.
He said that Treñas has a pattern of personally accusing him for any project delays. “We also have families and names to protect against unfounded accusations. Certainly, we will not take this attack against our honor and integrity sitting down,” Pacanan added.
This year, the Treñas administration cancelled seven DPWH-Iloilo City projects lobbied by Iloilo City Rep. Julienne “Jamjam” Baronda, a former political ally of the mayor.