A portion of Sunset Boulevard in Barangay Cagbang, Oton, Iloilo, was barricaded by a private landowner on Sunday, May 31, preventing motorists from passing through the area.
This was after the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) allegedly failed to pay about P28 million for the 4,400-square meter lot.
Lot owner Roel Amara closed both the inbound and outbound lanes, claiming that those are “privately owned and subject to ongoing right-of-way dispute with the DPWH.”
In a radio interview, Amara disclosed that the DPWH committed to pay him on December 31, 2025 for the lot that was covered by the P2.26-billion project, but the agency failed to settle its payment.
After meeting with DPWH-6 Assistant Regional Director Ricardo Gutierrez, Amara gave the DPWH an additional 60-day extension starting March 3 this year.
The lot owner also sent a demand letter to DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon on April 30 but has yet to receive a response.
According to Amara, the local government of Oton and the village’s officials had been informed of his move to close the road if no payment was made within the given period of extension.
Sunset Boulevard is a five-kilometer road that starts at the Molo-Mandurriao Road, intersects with the Iloilo Circumferential Road, and ends at the Oton-Pakiad-Mandurriao Road.
The road was officially opened to the public in January 2025.IMT
