Relatives, friends of Bohol bridge collapse victims appeal for help

Relatives and friends of the victims of the fatal collapse of a bridge in Loay, Bohol have sought help from the authorities to investigate the incident, according to Oscar Oida’s “24 Oras” report on Thursday.

Gian Arlo Gagni shared that he and his 29-year-old friend, who was among the four reported fatalities, had been coming from the town when the incident happened.

Gagni said a dump truck full of limestone suddenly drove onto the bridge against the flow of traffic before the old Clarin Bridge over Loboc River in Loay, Bohol collapsed.

“Sana makausap yung driver ng dump truck kung bakit pumasok siya. Alam naman niya yung tulay may road limit lang tapos dump truck pa yung dinadala niya,” Gagni said.

(I hope the dump truck driver will explain why he entered. He knew that the bridge had a road limit and he knew that he was driving a dump truck.)

A 30-year-old man who had been celebrating his honeymoon with his Australian wife was also killed in the incident.

Based on the initial report, 12 vehicles fell into the river, while a search and retrieval operation is still ongoing.

The local government of Bohol said that they are investigating the cause of the incident.

“It is very unfortunate, our bridge fell down. We have already four casualties and more than 15 survivors. At present, the rescue and retrieval operations is ongoing, we have divers from the province and from the Alona, Panglao who are helping,” Loay, Bohol Mayor Hilario Ayuban Jr. said.

The bridge was damaged in the 2013 earthquake but was still being used while motorists waited for the new bridge beside it to be finished.

According to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the bridges can be classified as being in good, fair, poor, or bad condition.

The Clarin Bridge was classified as being in "fair" condition, which means that there was a part of the bridge that needed to be fixed.

The DPWH said the bridge was only open for flowing traffic. However, due to the slow flow of traffic, vehicles including cargo vehicles have stopped on the bridge.

“There were a lot of cargo vehicles on the bridge. And the bridge could not take the weight and that is the reason why it collapsed,” Bohol governor Art Yap said.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development Loay has distributed P10,000 assistance to the survivors. — Richa Noriega/BM, GMA News