TWO of the nine construction workers who were rescued after a wall they were building collapsed on them in Liloan last Friday afternoon are dead.
Lazaro Capa Jr. and Bongo Cuba succumbed to severe head injuries at the Mendero Medical Center (MMC) in Barangay Pitogo, Consolacion.
Capa died around 4 p.m. last Friday, while Cuba passed away around 4 p.m. yesterday.
According to the police data that was provided by the MMC’s nurse on-duty, Lowel Batican is still in the Intensive Care Unit. Joel Procurato was sent to the out-patient department while there was no record yet whether Antonio Cueza was admitted or not.
Workers Alex Rosal, Melvin Procurato, Rene Barrido and Condito Baculao have already undergone surgery.
Not enough
Genalin Frias, Cuba’s younger sister, said the building contractor told her it would give his family P120,000 after she told them about her brother’s death.
Frias, though, said the amount is not enough to cover burial expenses and his family’s needs.
Cuba, 45, left behind three sons and a daughter.
Frias said she wants the contractor to talk to his family and find out their needs.
She said the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) will help them.
Meanwhile, Liloan Mayor Christina Garcia-Frasco already issued a stoppage order against the Citi Hardware building in Barangay Cotcot.
“The LGU (local government unit) is currently conducting a thorough investigation on this matter with all parties involved, including the contractor and its principal. A stoppage order has been issued for the contractor to cease and desist from construction pending investigation,” Frasco said in a text message.
Dole 7 Director Exequiel Sarcauga, for his part, said his office will issue a stoppage order today.
Safety plan
That means construction cannot proceed without clearance from the labor department.
Sarcauga said labor laws compliance officers have already completed their assessments and recommendations.
He said they will also check if the project has a construction safety plan and a safety officer.
According to him, the Office of the Building Office of Liloan should have asked for a construction safety plan before issuing a building permit.
The safety plan serves as guide to prevent accidents in the workplace. The safety officer is the one who implements the safety plan, as mandated by the Labor Code of the Philippines.
Mayor Frasco said the municipality’s emergency response, health, police and fire personnel were immediately on the construction site to assist in the rescue operations right after the incident.
“Our Municipal Engineering Office is presently conducting an investigation on this matter and no further construction will be allowed pending completion of the investigation,” Frasco added.
Liloan Police Station Chief Insp. Franco Rudolf Oriol, for his part, said they’re still verifying whether the construction was being undertaken by a contractor or a sub-contractor.