The controversial apprehension of a dump truck carrying waste material from a road project in Barangay Mansasa is now being investigated after the contractor asked for an extension in the project as a result of the apprehension.
Engr. Wilhelm Go of Wilhelm Construction wrote Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Lim to express his apology for the delay in the road rehabilitation project in Mansasa and Poblacion I due to the apprehension of one of his dump trucks by elements of the Office of the Governor. In his letter to Lim, Go said his driver, one Elmer Nepaya, reported to him that his six-wheel yellow Isuzu dump truck with plate no. RJ2-958 was apprehended last May 12 allegedly for transporting mineral without delivery receipt and because the delivery truck was without a sticker. The environment citation ticket was signed by a certain Ariel Dagodog and witnessed by one Elmer Apale who intercepted the truck in Barangay Dao while it was on its way to Manga from the road improvement project in Barangay Mansasa.

According to the citation ticket, the materials alleged to be five cubics of anapog (limestone) came from the NFA road project which is a project of the city government. Go vehemently denied that the truck was transporting material without delivery receipt saying that it was actually disposing of the materials taken from the road improvement project. The contractor said he does not know why this dump truck was singled out “because we do not know of any other similar incident where the efforts to clean a road project is considered a violation.” Go claimed that another truck which had the same cargo on the same day was not apprehended. The dump truck is still impounded in Camp Dagohoy , the provincial headquarters of the PNP in Tagbilaran City. It was brought there after soldiers in Camp Bernido demanded that it be taken away after initially agreeing to take custody over it. The apprehension was viewed as a result of the recent fiesta celebration in Barangay Cambaquis, Cabilao, Loon which is the hometown of Go’s wife.

Go said he is just worried because the apprehension has affected not only his schedule of activities for the project but also because his people are starting to be afraid because of the perception that certain powerful people are going after them. The contractor appealed for the help of the city government to look into the alleged violations and the manner of the apprehension “so that a similar incident can be prevented.”“We maintain our innocence of the allegations that were cited as the basis for the arrest so we hope that you can look into this for appropriate action,” he added.  As this developed, radio commentators identified with the Capitol continued to press their attack on Go during the week.  Go declined to be identified saying he does not want to engage in a trial by publicity. “I am more important in the completing the project on schedule because that is the commitment we made to the people of Tagbilaran,” he added. Lim also declined to issue any statement saying he will await the result of the investigation he has ordered into the incident in response to the letter he received.