MANILA, Philippines –Contrary to claims of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) that the footbridge in a viral video is still closed to public, the netizen who took the video said that barriers at its entrance were no longer present for a couple of weeks, creating the impression that it is now ready for public use.
“I did not take out any barrier. There used to be some yellow warning tape before, pero for a couple of weeks wala na. İf the batang hamog took it out, then MMDA is remiss in checking the entrances to the footbridge,” Pio Fortuno Jr., the netizen who took the viral video and posted it on social media told INQUIRER.net in a Facebook interview.
“That is their responsibility. People here can attest to the fact that the stairs were open for quite some time,” he added.
MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia over the weekend said the footbridge along Mindanao and Congressional Avenues in Quezon City is not yet open to the public because electric and telecommunications cables are protruding through a portion of the facility.
“Ito pong footbridge na ito, hindi pa bukas. May harang po yan,” Garcia said in a radio interview.
“Ang ginawa po siguro nitong mga malisyosong kababayan natin ay tinanggal yung harang, dumaan sila, at vinideo,” he added.
READ: QC footbridge with cable wires in viral video not open to public — MMDA
But Fortuno stressed: “Walang harang, walang barrier, walang warning signs. It is wide open, implying that the bridge can be used.”
“He’s just blaming the whistle blower to save his own hide,” he added.
Despite this, he admitted that he has not reported the issue on cable wires to proper authorities as he does not have any idea how to go about it.
“Should it be the LGU? DPWH? Local baranggay? MMDA? Things like these, where do you report them?” Fortuno said.
The video of Fortuno now has more than 7,200 reactions and 16,000 shares since it was posted. /gsg