Zambo solon lambasted by ex-ally

FORMER ZAMBOANGA CITY Councilman Charlie Mariano has lambasted traditional politician Celso Lobregat and accusing him of spreading lies to the public as the controversial issue on the construction of a flyover here drags on.

Lobregat is insisting on the construction of the flyover by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) despite having no feasibility study and the lack of requirements, among them is the executive order from the local government, for the project to begin.

Popular Mayor Beng Climaco, who is running on her third and last term, said the flyover would create monstrous traffic problem unless the DPWH widens the road where the proposed flyover would be erected.

In a news conference, Mariano also branded Lobregat a liar for saying in a television interview that the flyover project has a feasibility study only to backtracked later and denied having uttered such remark. “Cosa le (Lobregat) ya habla cuando nohay pa habla el DPWH na City Council cay nohay gale feasibility study, cosa le ya habla cay tiene daw le Xerox (copy) pero nohay le lleba. Ahora cosa le ya habla? - Nohay gane yo conese habla – claro gayot embustero and I know Congressman Lobregat and I think he is a desperate man,” Mariano said.

He also accused Lobregat of dictating upon officials of the DPWH to hurry the construction of the project which is expected to take over 500 days to finish to say the least and initially would cost the national government some P600 million.

Lobregat, according to Mariano, is acting far more than DPWH Sec. Mark Villar. “Ta mira yo si Congressman Lobregat ta fuerza con el DPWH que apura conese project. Taman pelea ya sila alla cay ta dicta daw kanila si Celso para apura conese project y tiene sila crea con Congressman Lobregat que quierre empuja con el project.”

“Alli mismo deberasan na DPWH, that is the sentiment of the employees y bien disgustao sila con Congressman Lobregat cay mas pa raw el con Secretary Villar si ta dicta con el maga alla. Ese para habla yo que de bien dictador si Congressman Lobregat,” Mariano said.

Mariano was a former supporter and a political ally of Lobregat, whose clan is originally from Cebu and Lanao del Sur province in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, but broke his ties with the lawmaker for his alleged autocratic and dictatorial style of politics. (BCPR)