Demolition creates panic
By Julie M. Aurelio
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:14:00 05/16/2008
MANILA, Philippines – For a brief moment Thursday afternoon, office workers near the Parkview building in Makati City thought the text messages warning of an Intensity 6 earthquake were true.
An old six-story building on Gamboa Street in Legazpi Village that was scheduled for demolition finally collapsed into a rubble of concrete and steel pipes. No casualty was reported. The whole building crumbled at around 1:20 p.m., sending tremors to nearby buildings.
“The tremors were so strong, like those caused by an intensity 5 or 6 earthquake. I thought the text rumors about an earthquake had come true,” said office worker Dong Edison.
Supt. Manuel Santos Jr. of the criminal investigation section said the building was going to be demolished to give way to a new structure.
“As far as we know, demolition activities were coordinated with the city government and a permit was given,” Santos said.
The new building is reportedly being developed by Eton Properties of the Lucio Tan group of companies. The Inquirer tried to talk to construction workers at the building site but was told they were not authorized to speak on the incident.
Said Edison: “It was really a strong tremor. The people inside our office ran when they felt the building shake.”
Rossan Hernandez, an employee of the Kalaw Ledesma Condominium adjacent to the collapsed structure, said vibrations were felt up to the eighth floor of her building.
“It was like there was a strong earthquake. People were shouting and crying. We went down a few minutes later to check what really happened,” she said.
Two days ago, rumors circulated through text messages that the United States Geological Society predicted that an Intensity 6 earthquake would hit the Philippines.
Authorities denied the rumor, pointing out there was no equipment available to predict an earthquake.
Cars parked behind Parkview were undamaged, although pulverized concrete stuck on some windshields and car hoods.
But some pieces of steel pipes and concrete destroyed a safety net that was meant to protect pedestrians, allowing debris to fall on the two-meter sidewalk.
The incident caused a slight traffic buildup at the corner of Gamboa and Rada Streets. Police are still investigating what caused the structure, the object of demolition operations since April, to collapse.
“We are having a hard time in our investigation because no one among the construction workers is talking. They said they are not allowed to disclose information,” said case investigator SPO1 Marvin Fajilan.
An official statement from PR officer Joey de Guzman, head of the public relations group of the Lucio Tan group of companies was e-mailed to the Inquirer Thursday. It read:
“At around 1:20 p.m. today on Legazpi St. corner Gamboa St. in Makati City, a portion of the concrete parapet wall fell on the sidewalk during ongoing demolition work at the old four-story Parkview building. JLC Construction has been undertaking the demolition work for the past two months. Clearing of the debris on the sidewalk is expected to be completed within the day. No casualties and no damage to property have been reported.”
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