Third district congressional bet Clink Hagedorn refuted allegations that he prevented the city government’s flood control project from passing through the drainage system near his fast-food establishment along the national road in Barangay San Pedro, clarifying he had already offered a solution as early as 2022.
In an interview, Hagedorn denied claims that his building contributed to flooding in the area by obstructing water flow. He pointed out that the issue was never raised in past elections but is now being used against him as he runs for congressman in the third district.
“Noong nakaraang eleksyon, hindi naman nabanggit yan, hindi naman napag-usapan o hindi naman binatikos yung part na yan. Sana hindi ito politically motivated, kasi alam naman ng lahat na nag-file tayo ng candidacy at may bigla na lang lumabas na ganitong issue,” he said.
He explained that in 2022, he offered the city government access to the drainage system he had built, but it was not utilized.
“Noong 2022, nagkaroon ng pag-uusap at in-offer kong gamitin nila yung drainage na inihanda namin para sa lugar na yan, dahil yung buong Delos Reyes Road wala yang kanal. Kaya ang ginawa namin, nag-abang na kami agad nung mga culvert para magamit,” he added. .
Hagedorn suggested that officials might have underestimated the risk of flooding at the time, only for it to become a problem now.
He also denied using political influence to secure permits, asserting that he complied with all legal requirements, including obtaining a building permit and an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).
“Hindi naman ako gumagamit ng impluwensya ever since ano. Pinipilit kong gumawa nang tama all the time. Ayoko maging halimbawa ng gumagawa nang mali at pinagtatakpan. So as much as possible, mula no’ng bata pa ko, pinipilit kong gumawa ng lahat nang magagawa ko pero sa tama,” he stressed.
Hagedorn also emphasized that he never received an invitation from the City Council’s Committee on Infrastructure regarding the flood control project, despite claims that all affected property owners were notified.
“Wala akong natanggap na imbitasyon. Kung meron man, gusto ko malaman para makita ko kung saan nagkamali,” he said.
He added that he is willing to present all necessary documents, photos, and videos to prove the legitimacy of his building permit and his previous offer to the city.
