Dump truck driver from Tabuk who passed Sta. Maria-Cabagan bridge when it collapsed turns himself to police

Tabuk City, Kalinga – The driver of the dump truck which could have possibly triggered the 1.2-billion worth Sta. Maria- Cabagan bridge to collapse on February 27 had turned himself in to the Cabagan police, reports say.

While the cost of the construction of the 990-meter bridge was P1,225,537,087.92, light vehicles were only allowed to use it, not until around 8:30 p.m. on Thursday when a dump truck carrying boulders approximately 102 tons passed through the infrastructure. It was then when the super structure collapsed.

The driver of said vehicle was identified by the police as a resident of Tabuk City, Kalinga. He was said to be ferrying boulders from the province for a construction project in Northern Isabela.

According to Cabagan Police Chief, PMaj. Merwin Villanueva, in a talk with the media, the driver used the bridge after he was allegedly allowed by the guard to pass through it. He added that another truck first crossed the bridge before him.

As he drove through the bridge, it was then the billion worth infrastructure gave in. The incident scared him, causing him to run away. However, he surrendered himself to the Cabagan Police Station the following morning, February 28.

The DPWH Region 2, meantime, said that they requested experts from the Bureau of Design and Bureau of Construction Central Office to further evaluate and assess the bridge to see the real cause why it collapsed.