CEBU CITY — The Homicide Section of the Cebu City Police Office is conducting an investigation on the collapse of a bunkhouse that claimed the lives of five construction workers and injured more than 50 other laborers here early Tuesday morning in Barangay Lahug.
Homicide Section chief Sr. Insp. Jonathan Taneo on Wednesday said they have actually started their investigation on Tuesday after the accident as JE Abraham Lee Construction & Development Inc. could be held criminally liable for the deaths of the five workers.
“We have started interviewing some of the survivors who could also be made witnesses in the event we file a case of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and multiple injuries against JE Abraham Lee Construction who built or installed the bunkhouse,” Taneo said.
Taneo added they also need the family members of the victims to execute affidavits pushing for the accountability over the accident to make their case stronger against the contractor.
Five construction workers died after their four-decker bunkhouse collapsed over them around 3 a.m. on Tuesday.
The deceased were identified as 60-year-old Carlos Caliwa of Manjuyod, Negros Oriental; Iveen Villarin, 23, and Jason Bacalso, 22, both of Langtad, Naga City, Cebu; Francisco Diapera, 45, of Pag-asa, Lutopan, Toledo City; and Crisenciano Silomen, 57, of Kauswagan, Trinidad, Bohol.
Homicide investigators are set on coordinating with the families of the five dead workers before their remains will be brought to their respective hometowns.
Taneo said they would ask the families of the fatalities to come back to Cebu probably next week for the filing of a criminal case against JE Abraham Lee Construction. (PNA)
