‘Not unexpected na bumagsak ung (Santa Maria-Cabagan) Bridge…” - Sen. Cayetano on revelation of defects

Isabela, Philippines – The 12 spans of the Sta. Maria – Cabagan bridge turned out to have defects and its collapse, as claimed by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, was not an accident nor unexpected. 

“Hindi naman pala unexpected na bumagsak yung bridge kasi nga kung since 2018 ’til now, five years, problem after problem after problem after problem and then ganyan karaming fails,” he said on March 26.

Cayetano, who presented reports from the Department of Public Works and Highways from 2018 - 2020 in the hearing, stressed that all 12 segments of the bridge have faults which is contrary to the claim of the agency that only five had defects.

These defects noted include cracks, snapped bolts, and deformed steel cross.

The legislator also cited the findings of urban engineers on the P1.2 billion bridge where they reported 935 fails regarding the structure.

For their part, DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan explained that said faults were addressed in the bridge’s retrofitting. He also clarified that the structure was not yet turned over to the agency by the contractor when it collapsed on February 27 this year.

The public works secretary also informed they are waiting for the results of the forensic investigation being conducted by the special committee they created which is expected to be completed by April 25. Bonoan added that the collapsed portion of the structure will be reconstructed by the contractor once the forensic probe is done.