DOLE: Sanctions loom due to Makati construction tragedy

01/28/2011 | 09:16 AM

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Possible sanctions over safety violations and non-remittance of benefits loom against the owner and contractors of a condominium project in Makati City where at least 10 construction workers fell several stories to their deaths Thursday.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said her department is looking into reported labor and safety violations, even as she hinted at conducting inspections on other projects of the property firm involved in the tragedy.

"Iisa-isahin ang kanilang magiging liability na yan. Titingnan din ang salary rate base sa skilled worker (We will start sifting through their possible liabilities. I will also look into whether these workers had been receiving the salaries and benefits due them under the law)," Baldoz said in an interview on dzXL radio.

"We expect to uncover a lot in this investigation," she added.



At least 10 construction workers installing a glass panel at the 39-story condominium project of Eton Properties in Makati City fell several stories to their deaths after the electric gondola lift carrying them malfunctioned around 11 a.m. Thursday.

Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. and the DOLE ordered the suspension of construction work at the condo project while an investigation is ongoing.

Baldoz said she will ask the Eton Properties, its principal contractor and subcontractors to submit copies of their contracts "to determine the extent of their liabilities."

On the other hand, Baldoz said she will look into reports that the workers could not get loans or benefits because their Social Security System contributions were not remitted.

Safety violations

Makati City police chief Senior Superintendent Froilan Bonifacio cited initial reports reaching him that some safety measures were being violated in the Eton Properties condominium construction site.

But he said they expect to verify these reports in a site inspection on Friday.

"They should see to it the workers' safety comes first and foremost. There is supposed to be a safety engineer overseeing that," he said in an interview on dwIZ radio.

He said Makati police investigators will join the DOLE in inspecting the site.

For his part, city fire marshal Senior Superintendent Samuel Tadeo cited information reaching him that the electric gondola lift was overloaded.

He said the information indicated the gondola could accommodate only some six people, but 11 were riding it at the time of the accident.

Meanwhile, Eton Properties spokesperson Erwin de Pedro earlier said the company willreview its compliance with safety regulations, even as he condoled with the victims of the tragedy.

“Due to the unfortunate incident, Eton is reviewing the compliance of its contractors and construction management consultant to these safety regulations," De Pedro said, adding that based on witness accounts, the workers rode the gondola instead of taking the stairs during their break time.

“Our hearts go out to the victims’ families. Eton Properties would like to assure the public that the company is doing all it can to ensure that Eton and its contractor extend all necessary assistance to the victims," he added.



In an interview on dzBB radio, he said they are also verifying information that the workers did not have safety harnesses.

Mayor Binay, meanwhile, said the information he received indicated a “big possibility" the gondola was overloaded.

“Apparently it was lunch time, nagmamadali ang tao bumaba para kumain (Apparently it was lunch time. The workers were in a hurry to get down to eat)," Binay said in an interview on dzBB radio.

Culture of laxity

Binay also voiced fears Thursday’s incident may have stemmed from a culture of laxity where the workers thought they could cut corners.

He said it is possible the workers may have had similarly “overloaded" the gondola lift before in their hurry to get down.

“Ang kutob ko, ginawa na nila ito (overloading) noong araw pa. Siguro naisip nila walang nangyayari kahit na ang maximum load apat, ginawa nila 11. Ang liabilities will be determined pending outcome of the investigation (My fear is that they may have overloaded the gondola before and thought nothing would happen this time. Anyway, the liabilities will be determined pending the outcome of the investigation)," he said.

Survivor's recovery chances good

Meanwhile, Bonifacio said the chances of the survivor, Ruel Perez, appeared good.

Perez was rushed to the Ospital ng Makati after the incident.

"Mukhang makaka-recover siya (It looks like he will recover)," he said when asked about Perez's chances of recovery. — LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV

3 Mindanao-based groups eyed in Makati bombing

3 Mindanao-based groups eyed in Makati bombing

PNP deploys bus marshals

By AARON B. RECUENCO and JEAN FERNANDO

January 26, 2011, 6:47pm

MANILA, Philippines – Three Mindanao-based groups are being eyed as possible suspects in the Makati bus blast that killed five passengers and injured 14 others Tuesday afternoon.

As this developed, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) started fielding marshals on public utility buses to protect the public, while the Northern Police District (NPD) deployed more uniformed policemen at various converging points in the CAMANAVA (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela) area, particularly at the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro rail Transit (MRT) stations, malls, and the Bonifacio Monumento Circle (BMC).

Likwise, President Benigno S. Aquino III, who had earlier said the explosion could be the handiwork of terrorists, appealed to the public to refrain from making premature assumptions on the culprits behind the bus blast in Makati.

Director Nicanor Bartolome, NCRPO chief, said that they are not ruling out the possibility that the bombing was perpetrated by extremist groups based in Mindanao after probers noted that the explosive used in blasting the Newman Goldliner bus in Makati was the type of bomb used in past bombings in the South.

Among the groups being eyed are the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), which is based in Western Mindanao; the al-Khobar extortion group; and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which are based in Central Luzon.

But Chief Supt. Jose Arne delos Santos, director of the Southern Police District (SPD) and commander of the special probe team created to investigate the Newman Goldliner bus bombing, said the artist sketch of the two suspected bombers is not sufficient to link any terror group based in Southern Philippines although such type of bomb, an 81-mm mortar, was found to be the one used in past bombings in Central Mindanao and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

“It is too early to say the bombing was carried out by known terrorist group based in Mindanao, we are continuously investigating and conducting background checks for us to have an intelligent conclusion as to those responsible for this attack,” said Delos Santos in an interview.

The official would not even link so far the extremist Abu Sayyaf, which has claimed responsibility over previous attacks, saying the bomb used during the Valentine’s Day bus bombing in 2005 also in Makati City appeared to be different from the one used last Tuesday.

The IED was reconstructed Wednesday after fragments were recovered from the damaged Newman Goldliner passenger bus and it turned out that a cellphone was used as a triggering device in blowing up the 81-mm mortar shell.

“We are all looking into all angles,” said Bartolome.

Delos Santos said they were able to obtain the artist sketches of the two alleged bombers through the testimonies of some survivors, particularly the bus conductor.

Based on their testimonies, Delos Santos said the two men alighted the bus near the corner of Ayala Avenue and EDSA and several minutes later, the bomb went off.

He revealed that the two persons who died on the spot had just boarded the passenger bus and actually sat on the seats vacated by the two alleged bombers.

“We are currently reviewing all the CCTVs (closed-circuit televisions) because we are hoping that some footages may have caught that portion where they boarded and alighted the bus,” said Delos Santos.

“If we were able to get the images of those two, then it would be a big boost on the investigation we are conducting,” he added.

Security tightened

Authorities have further beefed up the security measures across the country following the bus explosion on EDSA in Makati City.

Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz, Jr., spokesman of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said that the highest security alert status was effected at 5 p.m. Tuesday, or three hours after the bomb blast, in a bid to prevent the repeat of the incident.

“Cruz said the intensified security measures include the strict checking of baggage in bus and mass transport system terminals.

The strict security measures was immediately felt by Metro Rail Transit commuters Wednesday as security guards in every stations are vigorously checking on all bags of the entering passengers.

Bomb scare

On Wednesday, the PNP urged Wednesday the public not to believe or be affected by what it described to be scare rumors being spread through text messages and popular social networks.

“Scare messages of that nature deserve to be disregarded and deleted and not forwarded. Break the scare chain by deleting the message at once,” he added.

Cruz urged the public to immediately report “peddlers of scare rumors” to emergency hotline 117 or through the PNP text hotline 0917-847-5757.

3 angles eyed

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse M. Robredo, meanwhile said authorities looking at three angles – terrorism, diversionary tactics, and destabilization.

“As of now, we are not closing any possibilities,” Robredo said. “It is very clear that the person who made the bomb is an expert and it was not made by any ordinary citizen.”

He also said that a “triggering” device, possibly a mobile phone was used to set the bomb off.

In looking at the diversionary tactics angle, Robredo said the bombing might have been done to shift attention from the thorough investigation being conducted against carjacking syndicates and their possible “protectors,” who are suspected to be officials from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other key governagencies.

Robredo said authorities are considering destabilization measures, with the aim of bringing down the Aquino administration.

Bartolome said police could not say that the blast was the handiwork of a terrorist group trying to do destabilization.

In Manila, security measures have been stepped up at different city ports and vital installations.

Congressmen said that despite the crime wave, this could not be used as an excuse to reimpose the death penalty in the country.

Instead, Reps. Alfredo Benitez (NPC, Negros Occidental) and Teodorico Haresco (Ang Kasangga) said what is urgently needed in the country is to strengthen the intelligence gathering capacity of the police and military.

SIM card registration

With this wave of violence – from the carnap-slays to the Makati bus bombing – there is now a renewed call to register pre-paid cellular SIM (subscriber identity module) cards in a bid to prevent the increasing number of high-profile crime incidents in the country.

Robredo told a Senate inquiry that he would bring to the attention of President Aquino the strong suggestion of Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III for the Bureau of Telecommunications to register pre-paid SIM cards to counter a perceived increasing high-profile crime rate.

But President Aquino said the proposal needs a thorough study as it may invade citizens’ privacy.

Robredo and ranking Philippine National Police (PNP) officials headed by Director General Raul Bacalzo appeared Wednesday before the Senate Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs chaired by Sen. Gregorio B. Honasan II.

After a meeting of Cluster C at Malacañang before noon Wednesday, Robredo told Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and other senators that he would bring the matter to the President’s attention.

Robredo and Bacalzo did not answer a query of Enrile: “What is going on in our country?”

Strong hands needed

“The crime wave will continue’’ if the PNP and the DILG vacillate, Enrile said, adding that the crime situation must be handled by those who wield strong hands and not by the faint-hearted who tend to wilt at the onslaught of criticisms, particularly on human rights issues.

Bacalzo assured Sotto that the PNP supports his proposal “100 percent.” (With reports from Czarina Nicole O. Ong, Genalyn D. Kabiling, Mario B. Casayuran, Madel R. Sabater, Ben R. Rosario, Ed Mahilum, Leonard D. Postrado, Kris Bayos, and Rizal Obanil)

Alodia- Arrested for robbery

Ms. Alodia was arrested on illegal spying yesterday and illegal recruitment of young teens by attempting a young girl to rob their aplliances after she gave her basic information on facebook and twitter. Her twitter and Facebook account was still intact and not yet closed maybe she is out there to search for some victims to robb. All the people in the entertainment business was shocked on what she have done to the young girls. She is still oniline since 2008 up to now.

These are her basic information so be aware.

Alodia Almira Arraiza Gosiengfiao (born March 9, 1988 in Quezon City, Philippines) is a Filipino cosplayer and model

Personal life

Gosiengfiao lives in Quezon City and is fond of art, fashion, video games, cosplaying, and synthesizers. Her origin is from Catarman, Northern Samar^[2][3]

Cosplay

Gosiengfiao frequents anime and video game conventions, either as an convention attendee or a participant in cosplay competitions.

Her popularity began in 2003 when she won in an event called the C3 Convention in 2003 as Gun Mage Rikku of FFX-2.^[2] This led to her and her sister Ashley being featured on the cover of Issue 14 of Culture Crash Magazine,^[1] a Manga Magazine in the Philippines.

Gosiengfiao was Animax's first ever Levi's Kawaii girl winner in the last episode of Mad Mad Fun, which was announced on air on November 29, 2007.^[3]The Philippine edition of FHM ranked her number 87 in its 2009 poll for 100 Sexiest Women in the World.^[4] Alodia has been named by UNO Magazine as one of the most influential women in the Philippines.^[5]

She is now seen in ABS-CBN titled LOL(Laugh Out Loud) with Luis Manzano every Saturday night.

Don't give your personal information to her nor talk to her or else your gonna be robbed.

Source: www.gmanews.tv