Senator Alan Peter Cayetano slammed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for its slow response in investigating the collapsed Cabagan-Sta. Maria bridge in Isabela.
“Pasensya na, and I should tell this to the Public Works Secretary, pero parang hindi kayo seryoso sa imbestigasyon na ito. So far kasi wala kayong point person sa investigation and no one was preventively suspended,” Cayetano said at a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the matter.
“Imagine, a billion-peso bridge collapsed pero wala ni isa sa DPWH ang may preventive suspension?”
“Imagine, a billion-peso bridge collapsed pero wala ni isa sa DPWH ang may preventive suspension? What has to happen before ma-shock ang DPWH and act on it?” the veteran legislator added.
The seasoned lawmaker was referring to the incident on February 27 when an overloaded dump truck caused a section of the bridge to collapse, injuring at least six people. The bridge, which was built over a decade, was recently finished and opened to the public a month ago.
The senator was frustrated to learn from DPWH Undersecretary Eugenio Pipo that there had been no significant findings on why the newly-constructed bridge collapsed.
He was also shocked that no committee had been formed to investigate the matter yet.
“If you had formed a committee on the same day the incident happened, looked into it even if you don’t have any findings yet, we would be at least satisfied or comfortable that it will come out soon. Nag hearing na today, pero wala pa rin,” Cayetano said.
He stressed the need for preventive suspensions to maintain the integrity of the investigation and address public perception.
“Walang personalan ang preventive suspension.”
“Walang personalan ang preventive suspension. It has a limited period of 15 days para matapos mo rin agad ang proyekto. Bibilisan mo ‘yung investigation kasi kawawa naman ‘yung tao na iyon,” Cayetano stressed.
He also expressed disappointment over the absence of Secretary Manuel Bonoan given the gravity of the infrastructure incident.
“We expect the Secretary to be here kung ganito kabigat ang problema. I myself became a secretary. If ganito kabibigat na topic, I go myself and make time for it,” Cayetano said.
The hearing concluded with Cayetano asking DPWH to submit relevant documents, including the test results, and appoint a point person for the investigation.
He also called for another Blue Ribbon hearing to continue the probe.
“This is a fact-finding investigation… I will be fair, but I will also be bold if there are problems,” Cayetano concluded.
