Nine of 10 people hurt in Minglanilla Sugat stage roof collapse are out of hospital

CEBU CITY–Nine of the 10 persons who were injured during the collapse of a portion of the stage for the annual Easter Sunday reenactment in Minglanilla town in southern Cebu, had been discharged from  the hospital.

Only the female victim whose leg was fractured remained in the government hospital, said Minglanilla town Mayor Elanito Peña.

Peña said he already sent the town’s social welfare officer to coordinate with families of the 10 victims and check on their hospital bills and other medical needs.

The municipal government, he said, can pay part of their bills.

The Sugat Kabanhawan, which is held every Easter Sunday, is the reenactment of the meeting of the Risen Christ and the Sorrowful Mother which the town is famous for.

Supt. Dexter Calacar, Minglanilla police chief, said the victims rushed to the stage to take shelter from the rains. The stage, which made of steel frames, was built on the quadrangle of the Minglanilla Central School.

The rain deposit on the tarpaulin became so heavy that gave way.

Peña said he  directed members of the town’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) to review their existing contract with a private contractor that was tasked to set up the stage inside the Minglanilla Central School and provide the lights and tents used in Sunday dawn’s presentation, Sugat Kabanhawan.

While he could no longer recall the contractor’s name and the contract cost, Peña said he wanted to check if specifications of their Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) were met before payment should be released to the private contractor.

He said there was also a need to ensure strict monitoring in the implementation of government projects to ensure quality service from their contractors and prevent accidents in the future. But Peña said he understood that the weather condition was also a factor why the taupaulin fall down on the people seeking shelter from the rain.

“If the rains were not that strong, it would not have happened. The structure was ok but the rain was just too strong,” he added.

“Still, I’m just happy that no one died,” the mayor said.

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CEBU CITY–The Korean Consulate in Cebu has issued a special travel advisory, urging their nationals to cancel or postpone their trips to Bohol from April 13 to 23.

“Judging that public insecurity caused by the infiltration of terrorist group could continue for some time in the Island of Bohol, the venue of the ASEAN (Association of Southeat Asian Nations) summit from April 18 until 22, the Foreign Ministry has made the move to protect nationals of the Republic of Korea there,” read the advisory.

It was referring to the group of suspected members of Abu Sayyaf who entered a remote village in Inabanga town in Bohol on suspicion that they had plans to conduct terror activities in nearby islands.

Their presence was alerted by the residents to the police who then coordinated with the military. A joint team was sent and intense firefight ensued that lasted for 24 hours.

When the smoke cleared, four suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf, three soldiers, one policeman and two civilians –husband and wife in their 60s – were killed during the gun-battle that included at least 10 airstrikes.

The military were still hunting down eight others including Joselito Milloria, a native of Napo who escorted the bandit group during their entry to the village.

The temporary special travel advisory was tantamount to a travel restriction although the consulate clarified that it was only recommendatory in nature.

It may not be compulsory, but the advisory urged Koreans to cancel or postpone their plans to visit Bohol, or to already leave the area “unless there are urgent matters to attend to.”

“The MOFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and Korean Consulate in Cebu will continue monitoring the security situation in the aforementioned area in the Philippines and then mull over whether the special travel advisory should remain in place,” the advisory further read.