Eastern Visayas Media Without Borders
by Miriam G.Desacada
Matag-Ob Leyte–The sudden collapse of a flood control structure in Matag-ob, Leyte on Monday, drove the town’s Mayor Bernie G. Tacoy to demand an explanation on how a multi-million-peso project easily crumbled soon after its reported completion.
Tacoy demanded accountability for a failed project he linked to its “sponsor,” 4th District Representative Richard “Goma” Gomez, whose strong denial now contrasts with his pride during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the project launch.
Tacoy publicly criticized Goma, questioning the quality and integrity of a collapsed structure that reportedly came from the congressman’s allocations for the district. He alleged possible irregularities in both the implementation and monitoring processes, which he claimed put the lives and safety of Matag-ob residents at risk.
Because of this project structure gone wrong, and Tacoy’s fiery call for accountability, Goma immediately reacted, prompting a word war between the two government officials.
While Tacoy insisted of answers on the collapsed structure, Goma quickly fired back at the mayor, dismissing the latter’s criticisms as a form of politicking and a way of taking advantage of the issue to gain attention.
He said: “Just allow the mayor to ride on this season’s most interesting subject matter. This is what keeps him happy.”
The congressman brushed aside the issue and lashed out with a retort: “Stupid. That’s what it is. The mayor is just riding on the current wave of controversies. Instead of throwing mud, he should focus on running his town properly.”
Tacoy rebutted that, when taxpayers’ money is involved, when lives are endangered by substandard infrastructure, the public deserves answers—not name-calling.
“To brand scrutiny as stupidity is to mock the very essence of accountability. If the congressman truly believes in his projects, he should welcome an investigation, not belittle his critics,” said the mayor.
“He can call me stupid, but as long as I stand by what I see and believe, I don’t care. If Congressman Gomez truly wants to know the truth about the project he funded, why doesn’t he call for an investigation and assessment of the cause of the collapse?” said Tacoy.
“He should not fight with me and call me stupid because I am only helping him to make this project right, and not waste the people’s money. Before he gets angry at me, and if he is not complicit in the irregularities of the projects in his district, he should look into the DPWH and the contractors instead to determine if I am correct in my criticisms,” the mayor further said.
The collapsed flood control project at Barangay Riverside in Matag-ob town was built for P48 million, but without proper consultation or collaboration with the local government unit, he said, adding that the people have the right to question the project and ask for transparency from the DPWH and the district congressman.
As of press time, the DPWH has yet to issue an official statement regarding the project’s collapse.
Goma defended by insisting that the flood control project was unfinished or still under construction. It is still under construction and is to be finished without additional costs to the government.
The mayor said his constituents told him that the project must be investigated first before its completion, to determine whether there was poor construction or corruption behind the collapse.
“Ayaw ko rin naman na magagamit ang bayan namin, magagamit ang mga tao ng Matag-ob para mabigyan ng pondo na hindi naman maayos. Kung mayroon naman para sa bayan namin ay gusto ko mailagay sa ayos,” he said.
Tacoy said Goma has not been supporting Matag-ob’s priority projects and development programs, and that the flood control project was his political pitch in the May 2025 elections. He, together with the candidates of the opposition against me, held the project groundbreaking in March, much later than the start of the project works in February,” said the mayor, adding that he has proof of this.
“He is too defensive. I did not even say anything about his person, except that the DPWH did not coordinate with our Municipal Planning and Development Office, and Municipal Engineering Office about that flood control project, whose structure eventually collapsed,” Tacoy concluded. —-Miriam G. Desacada
