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Thursday, December 11, 2003
Be accurate in pointing defects at dome, whistleblowers warned
By Aurea A. Gerundio
THE Task Force Artica Sports Dome on Wednesday allowed three whistleblowers on the controversy involving the sports dome construction to pinpoint the exact location of the bended steel bars and clear allegations of structural defects.
Task Force chief Melchor Quitain reminded sub-constructor Leopoldo Canque to be specific with his statements as the Task Force cannot just excavate sections in the facility believed to have irregularities.
Aside from the three whistleblowers, steel man Elorde Morales and foreman Simplicio de Castro, another steel man named Leo Hermoso appeared before the Task Force meeting and corroborated the allegations.
Archipelago Builders Corporation owner John Paul Pe however, suggested to the Task Force to set aside first the affidavits of the new witness, believing there are a lot of ways to detect whether or not the construction is sound.
The Task Force agreed that additional testimonies by new witnesses would only cause delay in the investigation, which was set to be complete within 60 working days by Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
"If we continue adding witnesses, there will be no end to the investigation," Quitain said.
Quitain said the period that Duterte gave the Task Force to complete the investigation and present recommendations will end on December 22.
Quitain said the Task Force will then seek extension from the City Mayor if there is nothing conclusive yet after the deadline.
In a copy of the sub-constructor's manifestation obtained by Sun.Star, they said the Task Force inspected the wrong sections last November 27.
"Apan ang mga depektibong posti o kolum nga among gisaysay dili kadto mao
ang mga na-inspeksyon sa Artica Sports Complex. Tungod sa mao nga rason,
hina-ot unta nga kami makalambigit sa maong inspeksyon ug pagatugutan nga
makuyugan ang mga membro sa task force aron matudlo ang iksaktong mga
depektibong posti bisan pa man wala ang teknikal na diskripsyon (The
defective columns or posts that we were referring to were not the ones
inspected in the ARtica Sports Complex. Because of this, we want to be part of the inspection and be allowed to join the members of the task force to point
out the exact location of the defective posts)," they wrote.
In latest developments, Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines (Asep) representative Allan Botuyan said Canque, De Castro and Morales pointed the exact locations of construction irregularities.
Botuyan claimed Canque identified section B10, which is adjacent to section C11 located outside of the building, saying the foundation did not follow the required 850 millimeters thickness.
"He said that, instead of 850 millimeters, they just poured cement about 400 millimeters," Botuyan said.
Botuyan said De Castro meanwhile identified A9, which is adjacent to B10, saying the steel bars were bent 40 meters inward. Botuyan added that Morales has, however, remained to confirm the bending of bars in section F1.
"According to Morales, 80 cm pasulod ang bending," said Botuyan adding that section F1 is bearing on all possible excavations.
Pe, on the other hand, has offered to complete the excavations in two days. Pe has given the Task Force the go signal to conduct the destructive tests. The superstructure is still technically owned by the contractor as this has not been turned over to and accepted by the City government.
"Lets go on and continue with the destructive tests, once and for all let
us finish the testing as our company is affected by all these allegations,"
Pe said.
Pe also said that the testing would consequently clear Archipelago Builders as he added that the controversy has affected their business.
(December 11, 2003 issue)
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