Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso challenged Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua to reflect on what is right and wrong following the discovery of an unauthorized construction project on a vacant lot owned by the city government on Thursday, Aug. 21.

During a media briefing at the city hall, Domagoso lambasted the lawmaker over his connection to the unsanctioned project on Alvarez Street corner Avenida in Barangay 334.

He said the vacant lot used to be the Rasac Covered Court and also housed several satellite offices of the city hall under the supervision of the city's Public Recreations Bureau. However, it was illegally demolished to give way to Chua's project.

The project also caused the demolition of the barangay's Senior Citizen's Office, barangay hall extension, and day care center.

City Engineer Armand Andres explained that the demolition and proposed construction on the lot does not have any permit or authorization from the city government.

"Tinanong ko si Andres kung may permit ba, wala daw syang alam na nabigyan ng permit. Tinanong ko yung taong-bayan at yung chairman, ang sabi project daw ni Congressman Joel Chua. Paano nangyareng nagiba nila yung property ng city of Manila? Saan napunta yung property, yung mga bakal? Pag-aari yun ng lungsod eh (I asked Andres if the project has a permit, he said he didn't know that a permit had been issued. I asked the townspeople and the chairman, they said it was Congressman Joel Chua's project. How did they demolish the property of the city of Manila? Where did the city's property and steel go? Those belong to the city)," Domagoso said.

He had earlier said that the lot was previously used by his administration to give temporary shelter to street dwellers and beggars at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Now I challenge Congressman Joel Chua to investigate himself: Puwede bang magdemolish ng building ng gobyerno ng walang demolition permit? Puwede bang magconstruct vertically o horizontally ng walang building permit? He's a lawyer and I challenge him directly. Sabihin niya ngayon kung alin ang tama at mali. Baka mas magaling siya sakin kasi lawyer siya (Now I challenge Congressman Joel Chua to investigate himself: Can a government building be demolished without a demolition permit? Can a building be constructed vertically or horizontally without a building permit? He's a lawyer and I challenge him directly. Let him say now which is right and which is wrong. Maybe he's smarter than me because he's a lawyer)," the mayor noted.

Domagoso ordered the immediate confiscation of the machineries and other construction equipment being used for the project.

"May gobyerno na sa Maynila—hindi na maaari ang dating kalakaran kung saan nagtatayo ng ilegal na istruktura nang walang kaukulang permit mula sa pamahalaang lungsod, lalo na kung pag-aari ng lokal na pamahalaan ang lupa (There is a functioning government in Manila—the old practice of building illegal structures without the proper permits from the city government is no longer possible, especially if the land is owned by the local government)," he said.

"Hindi tayo magdadalawang-isip na ipatigil at ipasara ang ganitong ilegal na gawain. Uulitin ko—may gobyerno na po sa Maynila. Para kanino? Para sa mga taga-Maynila (We will not hesitate to stop and shut down this illegal activity. I repeat—there is a government in Manila. For whom? For the people of Manila)," he stressed.