Steelman dies after falling from side of Cebu-Cordova bridge post

Cordova police have confirmed that a steel man has died after he accidentally slipped while working at P5 of the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway in Cordova town, Cebu on Saturday morning, August 27, 2022. | Photo from Cordova PS

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A steel man, who was working around 70 meters up at the side of one of the posts of the Cebu-Cordova bridge, died after he fell when the plank he was stepping on gave way, and he landed at the foot of the concrete bridge post.

Police Major Michael Gingoyon, chief of Cordova Police Station, identified the victim as Jonas Batistis, of legal age, a resident of Barangay T. Padilla in Cebu City.

The accident at the Cebu-Cordova Bridge or the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway in Barangay Pilipog, Cordva town happened on Saturday morning (August 27) at past 8 a.m. 

Police Corporal Gerson Futalan, assigned investigator of the Cordova Police Station, said that they received a call around 8 a.m. from a certain Orville Valles, Health and Safety Security supervisor of the Cebu Link Joint Venture (CLJV) company.

Orville was reporting to police the ‘accident’ involving a worker at the P5 of the CCLEX.

Futalan said that they arrived at around 9 a.m. aboard a speed boat because there was no other entry point to get to the foot of the concrete post called the P5, where Batistis’ body landed after he fell.

Futalan said that the victim was working at least 70 meters up from the post when he fell.

Batistis’ coworker, Rolito Ducalang, who was working on the other side of the post told police that he saw Batistis fell.

“Initially, samtang nagtrabaho siya, nahulog ang platform nga iyang gitumban maong naapil syag kahulog. Naa siyay kauban sa taas, si Rolito Ducalang, ning kauban niya. Naa siya’s pikas, sa likod dapit,” Futalan said.

(Initially, while he was working there, the platform that he was stepping on gave way, and he too fell…he has a coworker there, Rolito Ducalang, who was working on the other side.)

Futalan said that according to Valles, the safety officer, that each worker was issued with a safety harness but during the accident, the victim, reportedly, did not wear it.

Liabilities for death of steelman

Despite the initial findings that the incident is accidental, Futalan said that they still would need to check if there was a possibility of a foul play in the death of Batistis.

This remains part of the police investigation.

“Oo [check foul play] pero based sa nakita nato didto, mocoincide sad siya sa kung unsay testimony sa witness, Rolito Ducalang, coworker, Nakita sad namo [ang gitungtungan] sa dagat kay dagat naman na ang kilid,” Futalan said.

(Yes (we check if there is foul play) but based on what we saw there, it coincided with the testimony of the witness, Rolito Ducalang, coworker…We also saw the plank [that he was perched on] at the sea because at the side was already the sea.)

For now, Futalan said that they were still checking on who would have liabilities over this accident if there would be any.

He also said that this was the second time that they responded to an incident at the CCLEX bridge this year.

“I think this is the second time kay naa toy previous nga na atrasan sa dump truck. That was the first,” he added.

(I think this is the second time that we responded to an incident there because there was a previous one, who was hit by a dumptruck backing in the area. That was the first.)

Futalan then reminds all workers, regardless of their jobs, should always prioritize their safety.

The body of the dead Batistis is currently placed in a funeral parlor in Cebu City.

For their part, the Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corporation (CCLEC) also released an official statement about the ‘accident’.

Aside from that the Cebu Link Joint Venture (CLJV) Company also issued a statement about the accident. See below.

READ: Tour guide killed in Cebu City’s Mango Avenue

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