Death of laborer, who fell into cement mixer, probed

Cops investigating if foul play was involved in laborer's death in Dumanjug construction site

A 49-year-old laborer died after falling inside a cement mixer in Dumanjug, Cebu, on June 4, 2020. | Photo from Dumanjug Police

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Policemen are investigating if there is foul play in the  death on June 4, 2020 of a laborer in a construction site in Barangay Tapon, Dumanjug town in southern Cebu.

The laborer, Mariano Barrios, 49, fell inside a cement mixer and died the next day on June 5 at the hospital, said Police Major Ardeolito Cabagnot, Dumanjug Police Station chief, in a phone interview with CDN Digital.

Cabagnot said that they were investigating if there was foul play because the death of Barrios of Bais City, Negros Oriental, was only reported three days after it happened or only this morning, June 7.

He said reporting an death of an accident three days after it happened was quite suspicious.

“Atoa lang gyud lantawun kung tinuod ba nag aksidente,” said Cabagnot.

(We would like to determine if it was true that an accident happened.)

He said that the death was reported to the police because the victim was not from Dumanjug and the body would have to be shipped to his hometown and would need the permits from the police for it to be transported to his hometown.

Initial investigation showed that the machine operator only heard a scream of help from the area after he turned on the machine to start mixing. When the other laborers responded, they saw Barrios inside the machine almost lifeless.

Cabagnot said that Barrios was brought to the hospital but died on Friday, June 5.

Cabagnot said that the machine operator could face a charge of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide if the victim’s family would decide to file charges.

He said for now, they were waiting for the family of Barrios to decide on what action to take.