Death toll in Tagaytay wall collapse incident rose to 6 — police

The number of reported fatalities due to the collapse of a wall at a construction site in Barangay Kaybagal Central, Tagaytay City on Monday evening went up to six, police said on Tuesday.

“As of 12:45 p.m., the last remaining body was already recovered. All accounted na po. Six confirmed dead as per [chief of police of Tagaytay City Police Station],” Philippine National Police spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo told GMA News Online in a message.

Tagaytay City Police chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Norman Rañon earlier told Super Radyo dzBB that of the eight victims, one remained missing.

“Walo kasi lahat ng biktima natin. Tatlo ang na-retrieve na — dalawa doon ay stable pa ang condition, isa ang dead on arrival sa ospital,” he said.

(We have eight victims. Three have been retrieved — two of them are in stable condition, one was declared dead on arrival at a hospital.)

According to a police report, the collapse of the concrete wall occurred at around 6:20 p.m. on Monday.

Police said the victims were resting at the barracks of 3-13 Construction when the concrete fence and cement hollow blocks of Hortaleza Farm collapsed due to heavy rainfall and fell on them. 

“5 p.m., naulan doon. Sa malakas na ulan, kumukulog, kumikidlat din po. At biglang sumigaw po ang isa naming kasamahan, na ‘yung pader, patumba. Tatlo kami na tumakbo. Mayroon pa pong lima sa barracks,” project manager Marco Abarientos said in Bam Alegre’s report on "24 Oras" on Tuesday. 

(The rainfall was so heavy around 5 p.m. There was thunder and lightning too. Suddenly, one of our colleagues shouted that the wall was about to collapse. There were still five people inside the barracks, even though three of us managed to escape.)

“Then po nasa ilalim, na-ground po kami lahat dahil yung elevation ng tubig na kasi. Ayun may nag-rescue sa amin sa apartment na 'yan,” he added.

(Because of the elevation of the water at the bottom, we were then grounded. Somebody saved us in that apartment.)

After receiving medical treatment, Abarientos went to the construction site to help with the search and rescue operations.

“’Yung ilaw na nakita noong nabiyak na, doon ako humukay ng humukay pero nang mahawakan ko yung isa, hindi ko talaga siya makuha. Kaya noong nawawalan na rin ako ng hangin sa loob, pinilit ko na lumabas muna,” he said.

(The moment the wall was destroyed, I saw the light. I dug there, but when I touched the other worker, I couldn't get him out. I forced myself to leave first because I was running out of breath inside.)

Meanwhile, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Erwin Tulfo said they would provide assistance to the families of the deceased victims.

“Nakikipag-unayan na po ang DSWD Region IV-A sa pamilya ng mga biktima para sa P25,000 burial assistance at P10,000 additional financial assistance naman sa mga naulila at kaanak ng mga sugatan bilang ayuda po ng pamahalaan natin,” Tulfo wrote in Facebook.

(DSWD IV-A is now coordinating with victims' families for the P25,000 burial assistance and the P10,000 additional financial assistance for the bereaved families and relatives of injured workers as part of our government’s aid.) —with Mel Matthew Doctor/KG/VBL, GMA News