ILOILO CITY – Mayor Jerry Treñas here is not backing down and will not revoke the persona non grata declaration against Department of Public Works and Highways-Iloilo City officer-in-charge Engineer Roy Pacanan.
MAYOR Jerry Treñas (left) meets Engineer Roy Pacanan, officer-in-charge of the Department of Public Works and Highways in Iloilo City. Pacanan has been declared as persona non grata by the Treñas administration. (Arnold Almacen/CMO)
“I met District Engineer Pacanan upon his request, with his employees and the City Legal Office. I listened to him and he listened to me. We both listened to each other. The persona non grata stays,” Treñas said in a statement.
Two persona non grata declarations have been issued against Pacanan – an executive order signed by Treñas and a resolution passed by the Iloilo City Council upon the request of the mayor.
Treñas has been critical against DPWH-Iloilo City which vacated its offices in Fort San Pedro after the city government evicted the agency for allegedly squatting on land it owns.
The Iloilo City Council also cancelled seven key projects of DPWH-Iloilo City, which the Treñas administration claimed to be delayed.
All canceled projects were facilitated by Iloilo Rep. Julienne “Jam-Jam” Baronda.
Treñas announced last March that Baronda’s congressional seat will be taken over by his daughter Raisa Treñas-Chu.
“The delays have not been explained and there are a number of DPWH projects on city government land without approval and without building permits,” added Treñas.
Treñas said the city government still has to look for funds to complete the seven cancelled projects.