Marcos wants thorough probe on Isabela bridge collapse
Marcos wants thorough probe on Isabela bridge collapse
Metro Manila, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called for a thorough investigation on the collapsed Sta. Maria-Cabagan Bridge in Isabela which injured several people, citing possible corruption behind its construction since 2014.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) earlier revealed that the cost of the 990-meter bridge had reached ₱1.225 billion.
The bridge collapsed from the weight of a 102-ton load of a dump truck that passed through it Thursday evening, severely injuring one minor and hurting five others.
“Nagkausap kami ni pangulo kahapon regarding this. Ito talaga ay papaimbestigahan. Kung may bahid man ng korapsyon sa nangyaring ito mula pa noong 2014, hanggang sa ngayon,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said on Sunday.
[Translation: The president and I talked yesterday regarding this. This will definitely be investigated to determine if there is any trace of corruption since 2014 until now.]
House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro also called for an investigation into the construction of the bridge that was said to have “structural flaws” since its first opening in 2018.
"Nakakaalarma na ang isang ₱1.22 billion na bridge na kakaretrofit lang noong February 1 ay gumuho kaagad. Hindi ito simpleng aksidente o kapabayaan lamang. Kailangang silipin ang posibilidad ng corruption at substandard materials," Rep. Castro emphasized.
[Translation: It is alarming that a ₱1.22 billion bridge that was just retrofitted on February 1 collapsed immediately. This is not a simple accident or negligence. The possibility of corruption and substandard materials must be probed.]
Castro called for a congressional inquiry to “determine accountability at all levels,” from the contractor RD Interior Jr. Construction to the officials of the DPWH who approved and supervised the project.
Former government officials also questioned the project and the materials that were possibly used to build the bridge.
DPWH said it has tapped the Bureau of Design and Bureau of Construction at the central office “to conduct further evaluation and assessment.”
