THE stalled coastal road project may soon resume, said a lawyer, who sought help from President Rodrigo Duterte to initiate an executive action over the road right of way issue.
Lawyer James Judith said he sent a petition to Malacañang last June 22 urging the President to intervene and help settle the issues concerning a supposed property owned by Barangay 33 chairman Conrad Lim, which is the reason for the stalled coastal road project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Northern Mindanao.
Judith said Bong Go, Duterte's special assistant, has already acknowledged receipt of his petition.
"He sent me a message that my petition is already in the president's briefer," Judith said.
Judith said the case has no "judicial disposition," thus, an action from the president would be appropriate.
He said the people has had enough of the worsening traffic situation in the city, and solving the Lim case the soonest possible would be of great help.
"We cannot wait forever, if it is possible to destroy now, face the case later, then why not do it? In the first place, Lim is just a squatter in the area, he has no claim there, all we have to do is to really implement the law," he added.
Judith also hit the local government for its neglect over the issue.
He said local officials "did nothing but trade barbs."
"Nagpakabana lang ko (I’m just concerned) because I observed (that) nobody is doing anything. Dili man sa pagsaway kang Moreno ug sa DPWH pero wala man silay gihimo ani (It’s not a criticism toward Moreno and DPWH but they didn’t do anything), they have no action," he said.
"I'm sure this issue will boomerang to our local officials, because this is negligence," he said.
The P4-billion infrastructure project started in 1997 and aims to link Igpit, Opol in Misamis Oriental to Gusa, Cagayan de Oro in a coastal diversion road project.
The project has temporarily stopped because of Lim's property, occupying and fencing off an area which comprises 2,800 square meters.
In an earlier interview, Lim said he is willing to give up the property as long as it is done with the due process.
