Solon blasts Caloocan mayor over Monumento project

Caloocan City Rep. Enrico Echiverri yesterday slammed his former boss and now bitter political nemesis Mayor Reynaldo Malonzo for allegedly wasting city government funds on a P10-million promenade right smack in the center of EDSA, the metropolis’ main road artery from Monumento.

"I am strongly opposing the project. Is he blind to the chaotic traffic this will create? As it is, even without the proposed ‘tiangge on the highway’ yet, we are already killing ourselves in our daily struggle to get in and out of the city in this very particular area. And, the idea is not even original. It definitely is a wasteful, mindless and literally misplaced monstrosity, to say the least," Echiverri said.

The solon, who has set his sight on the mayor’s post in next year’s elections, said the funds for the project, dubbed "Dangal ng Caloocan" by the city tourism board headed by Malonzo’s common-law wife and pet bet for mayor in the 2004 local polls, Gwendolyn Emnace, also known as "Gigi Malonzo," should have been put into more useful and much needed basic services.

"Huwag na siyang gaya-gaya. Else, he would only be showing a bankrupt mind. Walang creativity," the solon remarked even as he emphasized that Malonzo is not his real enemy. Malonzo is running for congressman in the first district in 2004.

Echiverri, who early this year announced his formal break with Malonzo after streamers announcing a routine dental and medical mission he sponsored just a spitting distance from the city hall was allegedly torn down and his people harassed on Malonzo’s orders, also blasted the mayor for messing with the national road upon which he has no jurisdiction.

Malonzo, for his part, remained unfazed, at the same time taunting the lawyer-solon to go back to his law books.

"Sabihin mo, mag-review muna siya ng batas," Malonzo quipped when told that the solon said he cannot mess with the national road.

"That’s not true. I can do what I want with the streets in Caloocan. There is a legal basis for all these," Malonzo said citing a city ordinance.

As for the anticipated traffic jams, the mayor assured the public that this is only temporary.

"Sa una lang yan. Siyempre, maninibago ang mga motorista but later on, they will be able to adjust to the new routing," Malonzo said. The mayor told The STAR that in fact they are now considering closing the other routes, from Valenzuela and from Malabon-Navotas, to almost close the rotunda to motor traffic. He said new routes using secondary streets are being studied.

The "historical walk," stretching along the last 100 meters of EDSA toward the base of the Bonifacio Monument, the 73-year-old city landmark, suddenly sprung in the heart of the traffic-choked rotunda. It was first announced by Malonzo in July this year and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30.