MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte lambasted property developer DMCI for its refusal to compensate the buyers of its Davao City condominium that was damaged by an earthquake three months ago.
In a speech in Cotabato province on Friday night, President Duterte urged the Consunjis to focus on the quality of its construction rather than commenting in matters related to the water concession agreement.
“Tayong mga mahirap wala tayong problema. Ang may problema dito sa Pilipinas ngayon yung mga mayaman. Gaya nitong Consunji, lahat ng condo niya – apat – ‘yung isa bumagsak. Sa karaming building sa Davao, kanya lang ang maraming huge cracks. Talagang bumubuka,” the President said.
The President was not explicit on who he was referring to, but the real estate firm’s parent company DMCI Holdings is currently led by its chairman and president Isidro Consunji.
“Ngayon pinapahirapan niya. Nung isang araw nagsalita siya about concession sa water. Sabi ko, ikaw may problema ka, unahin mo ‘yung problema sa tao, kay kung builder ka, pag naasar ako sayo, I will not grant you any permit to dig in,” he stressed.
Consunji family owns the DMCI-owned Ecoland 400 condominium that partially collapsed after the magnitude 6.6 earthquake hit Davao City in October last year.
President Duterte went on with his tirade against the Consunji’s in his interview with ABS-CBN’s Ted Failon on Friday, where he threatened not to allow DMCI to construct buildings in the country if they will not come to terms with its buyers in Davao.
“You know Consunji, you are already rich, and old like me. You have little time left…Stop f****** the people,” an incensed Duterte said.
Earlier this week, the Department of Humanitarian Settlement and Urban Development suspended the collection of monthly amortization payments from unit owners of the damaged condominium.
“If you do not come to terms with the people that you prejudiced, I will not allow you to even construct a building, not even a post because I will question the integrity of your company,” he added.
“I will order an audit of all your buildings and all the violations you have committed. Huwag mo ako pilitin. Sabi ko sa iyo, mayaman na kayo tama na,” the President further said./PN
