Construction workers work on a building in Cebu City in this 2015 photo. | CDN Digital file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (Dole-7) has started its investigation of an accident that happened on a structure owned by a locator of the Cebu Light Industrial Park in Brgy. Basak in Lapu-Lapu City.
Lawyer Roy Buenafe, the Dole-7 director, however, begged off from issuing any statements on the matter as they continue to probe the incident that killed a construction worker.
According to police reports, the worker was killed after the second floor of the structure that was undergoing construction reportedly collapsed on Saturday, April 26.
Five other workers were also injured and are now recuperating at the hospital where they were brought for treatment.
Police Lieutenant Christian Torres, spokesperson of Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO), said they learned of the accident only on Sunday, after they were informed by personnel of the hospital where injured workers remain admitted to.
Assistance
With this, Torres is reminding the management of privately owned establishments to immediately coordinate with the police and report any incidents that will happen within their premise.
“Gi-try nato ug contact ang Cebu Light Industry Park, considering nga naa na silay kaugalingong balaod. Pero tungod sa hitabo kinahanglan man gyud ta mangayo sa insidente kung wala bay foul play or wala bay lapses,” Torres said.
(We already contacted the Cebu Light Industrial Park considering that they have their own regulations. But because of what happened, we have to inquire about the incident to determine if there were no foul play or lapses involved.)
Engineer Perla Amar, head of the Office of the Building Official (OBO) and City Engineering Office in Lapu-Lapu City, said that the establishment did not secure a building permit from their office, since the industrial park has its own OBO.
Meanwhile, Torres assured the family of the victims that they are willing to extend assistance should they decide to pursue charges against the locator.
“Mao rana ang pag assist but with regard with the lapses sa pagtukod sa building, sa engineering nana siya,” he added.
(That is the only assistance that we can give them because as to determining if there were lapses in the construction project, that is already an engineering concern.)