House probe on collapsed Isabela bridge sought

A congressional inquiry on the collapsed Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge in Isabela has been proposed in the House of Representatives.

In House Resolution 2249, House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro of ACT Teachers party-list, House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas of Gabriela party-list, and Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel said probe is needed to identify the responsible parties and determine whether corruption and negligence played a role in the incident.

The Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge collapsed on February 27 when a dump truck carrying quarried stones weighing 102 tons, almost double the 45-ton maximum capacity, attempted to cross it. At least six people were injured in the incident.

“Allegations of corruption, inadequate inspections, substandard materials, and possible collusion between contractors and government officials have surfaced, as the DPWH has long been perceived as an agency plagued with corruption, as evidenced by multiple cases of infrastructure failures across the country,” the lawmakers said in the resolution.

“While authorities have focused on the flagman who allowed the overloaded truck to pass, it is imperative that the investigation go beyond individual accountability and scrutinize the entire procurement and construction process, including the contractor RD. Interior, Jr., the project engineers, and DPWH officials who approved and supervised the project,” they added.

The collapse of the bridge, the lawmakers said, is not an isolated case as there have been several instances of newly constructed or retrofitted public infrastructure failing prematurely.

“This incident underscores the urgent need to review the government's infrastructure policies, strengthen accountability mechanisms, and ensure that public funds are not wasted on substandard projects that endanger people's lives and livelihoods,” they said. —AOL, GMA Integrated News