CAGAYAN de Oro City’s Barangay 33 chairman Conrad Lim has broken his silence over the coastal road project mess, saying he is willing to have his property expropriated as long as it will pass through the legal process.
Lim insisted the work done in reclaiming the foreshore in front of his house in Lapasan village was done legally as this was approved by the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) in 2008, the same year the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) started its coastal road project.
He said he applied for the reclamation of about 2,000 square meters in 2007.
"Dili man ta lisod istoryahon kay pag-apply nako, sakto nga proseso akong gisunod busa unta sakto pud ang proseso nga ilang agian sa pag-expropriate (It is not difficult to speak with me. I went through the right process. Thus the expropriation should also go through the right process)," Lim said.
The councilor said he feels he is being singled out as the cause of the delay of the nine-year-old project as well as aggravating traffic woes of the city.
He said negotiations have yet to begin for some properties in Puntod village that will also be affected by the project.
"Unfair man gud nga kita lang ang na-single out ug napasanginlan nga maoy nakalangan nga naay mga kompanya nga maapektuhan sa project ug naa pay diha sa Puntod nga wala pa ma-negotiate. Dili lang unta isangon sa ako tanan sala (It is unfair to be singled out. There are companies in Barangay Puntod that will likewise be affected by the project. They should not blame everything to me)," Lim added.
"Murag ako naman gibasol sa traffic tungod aning pagka-delay sa coastal road. Natural man gyud nang traffic labi na pag-naay bag-ong open nga tindahan unta giplanohan kana og tarong before pa nag-open (I am being blamed for the traffic and for the delay in the completion of the coastal road. It is natural for traffic to be heavy, especially following the mall opening. They should have made better plans to cope with the traffic)," he added.
The village chief also said he is willing to face the City Council if he would be summoned so he can explain his side.
Lim, who ran for city councilor under the Padayon Pilipino, also said Mayor Oscar Moreno may have wanted to get back at him for not giving in to supposed favor the mayor asked from him.
Lim, however, declined to elaborate.
