Tuesday, April 01, 2008 Metaphil seeks 'free' opinion
TO avoid allegations of a whitewash in the investigation, Metaphil Inc. is planning to get the opinion of a separate engineering firm to aid them in investigating the collapse of steel trusses in a construction site.
Jonathan Bendebel, assistant vice president for construction of Metaphil, told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday that they would have wanted to submit their final report on the matter today.
However, representatives of the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) and the Office of the Building Official (OBO) in Balamban town were scheduled to visit the site yesterday afternoon.
Bendebel said they wanted to consolidate their information and that they will submit their report after they meet with the representatives of these agencies.
Metaphil is a contractor for Tsuneishi Heavy Industries Inc.
Ten workers were building a warehouse-type building for the fabrication of ship hulls when the trusses collapsed in Phase 4 of Tsuneishi Heavy Industries Inc.
Four of them died on the spot, while six others were wounded.
Supt. Anthony Bagarinao of the Balamban Police Station said he submitted his request for the OBO to inspect the site yesterday morning.
For his part, Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Carmelo Valmoria said they still have to get statements of the witnesses.
Since most of them are still arranging the funerals, he said they did not want to disturb the families yet. He also assured that they will assist the families of the victims should they want to press charges.
Initially, though, most of the family members of the slain workers said it was an accident.
The management of Metaphil and Tsuneishi also assured that they would take care of all expenses incurred by the victims as a result of the accident. (MEA)
