THREE DIE AS FOOTBRIDGE COLLAPSES

It was not an unusual rainy morning for residents in Sitio Riverside, Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City: Water from the nearby creek has started to rise and the current was getting strong.

But what made the situation in the area uncommon yesterday morning was when residents saw a 12-foot long python slithering under a wooden footbridge in the area.

Residents and bystanders excitedly crowded the footbridge, which was only made of weak coconut lumber, eager to see the reptile.
More than 10 people stood on the bridge, which could not anymore carry their weight.

The structure collapsed along with the people on it who were immediately swept away by the raging current. Some were fortunately able to immediately grab onto something to prevent being carried further. But some were not as lucky.

The incident happened past 10 a.m. and before the day was over, three were confirmed dead, two of them young brothers — one aged seven and the other was 11 years old whose remains were recovered at 5:30 p.m. several kilometers away and close to where the creek’s water meet the sea off the Ludo wharf in Barangay Sawang Calero.

The three fatalities were identified by Guadalupe Barangay Captain Michael Gacasan as Carlo Taran, 7, whose body was found about 15 meters away from the collapsed footbridge; Arthur Cabradilla, 26, who drowned after he was swept downstream and whose body was found at the riverbank in Barangay Labangon at around 2 p.m.; and Juros Taran, 11, the boy whose remains were found near the Ludo wharf at dusk.

“Naa ra man mi sa kalsada dapit nya naay babae nga nishagit naa kunoy bitin. Mao to nanagan mi ug nangatkat mi sa footbridge. Naa puy nag-ambak ambak. Mao tong nahugno,” recounted 17-year-old Benjamin Singson, who was among the eight rescued.

(We were near the highway when a woman shouted that there was a snake. That’s why we ran and climbed on the footbridge. There were some who were jumping on it. That’s why it collapsed.)

Singson was swept a few meters from the area where the structure collapsed.

He was able to hold on to a steel rod near the side of the creek. But he sustained a long scratch on his left forearm.

“Abi gyud namo mao na to among oras kay ngitngit pud kaayo dapit sa footbridge. Pero nakakita g’yud kog hayag kadtong nakakupot na kos kabilya,” Singson said.

(I thought it was already my time to die because it was also dark near the footbridge. But I saw the light when I was able to hold on to the steel rod.)
“Pagkagunit nako, nagpahuway ko kadyot. Wala ko kabilib nga nabuhay pa diay mi,” he added.

(Once I got a hold on to something, I rested for a bit. I could not believe I am still alive.)

According to Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, who was present during the rescue operations, the creek in the area leads to a bigger creek in Tres de Abril in Barangay Labangon. It will also connect to the Kinalumsan River, which eventually leads to the South Road Properties (SRP), a 300-hectare reclamation area that crosses Barangays Mambaling and Inayawan.

Retrieved

Senior Insp. Henry Orbiso, the chief of the Cebu City Police Office’s Guadalupe Police Station (Station 9), said they immediately alerted the city’s Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (DRRMO) after they were alerted of the accident at around 1O:30 a.m. and before they dispatched their team to the area.

Immediately after the alarm was raised, rescuers from the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) arrived and conducted search and retrieval operations from the time of the incident until the afternoon, according to Gacasan.

A few hours after the incident, rescuers were able to retrieve the body of Carlo Taran, who was lodged among the debris some 15 meters from the collapsed footbridge, according to CCDRRMO head Nagiel Bañacia.

The body of Cabradilla, on the other hand, was found around three kilometers downstream, at the bank of a river in Francisca Village, Barangay Labangon; while that of Juros Taran was recovered near the Ludo wharf in Barangay Sawang Calero at 5:30 p.m.

The eight people who were rescued were Nestor Taran, Jun Niño Taran, Renny Remorosa, Regie Remorosa, CJ Delatre, James Crocolas, Urvil Lawas, and Benjamin Singson.

Relocation needed

The area where the incident happened is located just beside a private school building being constructed in Banawa, a sub-village of Barangay Guadalupe.

Barangay officials have been constantly telling residents of some 10 structures in the area to already relocate since their houses are located right beside the creek, which is considered a hazardous area.

Gacasan said they will be asking the help of the Cebu City government to provide relocation for the Sitio Riverside families in order to remove them from the danger zone.

“Sige na mi balik balik og badlong nila didto. Giusban pa g’yud namo gahapon (Thursday) kay naay news nga kusog ang uwan,” he said.

(We’ve been going back and forth the area to reprimand them. We sent personnel in the area again last Thursday since there was news of heavy rains.)

Gacasan said the settlers have not been staying in the area for sometime now. He said they used to stay in a portion of the compound where the school building is currently being constructed. Due to the construction, they had to move into the area right beside the creek.

He suspected that the residents have only just started occupying the area earlier this year.

AN unidentified resident points to where they saw the python that drew the attention of over a dozen residents of Sitio Riverside, Barangay Guadalupe, who crowded into a footbridge in order to catch a glimpse of the snake on Friday morning, September 29, 2017. The bridge collapsed and the crowd tumbled down into the water below, leaving three persons, including two young brothers, dead. (Below) A resident holds up the python that they later caught. CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON

Where’s the snake?

Meanwhile, authorities were now trying to locate the python that was later caught from the creek by some residents.

A video footage taken by Cebu Daily News at the accident site showed that two men were seen holding on to the huge snake that was several meters long. Later, it was shown being held by at least four men standing side by side to show its length.

Gasalan said they were now trying to find out who was keeping the snake.

Once recovered, Gasalan said they planned to turn over the python to the city’s command control center, which would in turn decide on how to dispose of the reptile.