Scavenger, kid saved at bridge again

BARELY a week after they were rescued from under a bridge in Sangciangko Street, a 46-year-old scavenger and his seven-year-old daughter had to be rescued again  by police from another bridge in downtown Colon Street, Cebu City yesterday.

Police and passersby helped carry Edwin Saldua and his daughter Christine out from under the Colon bridge in barangay C. Padilla, where the water level rose following yesterday’s rains.

“They were in a very dangerous situation. They could  be washed out in flood waters anytime,” said Senior Insp. Pablo Cabildo, head of the San Nicholas police precinct.

Last Tuesday, fire personnel pulled up  Saldua and his daughter  from under a city bridge in Sangciangko Street.

Cabildo said residents alerted police about the new emergency yesterday.  The scavenger  stayed on a gutter under the bridge where he tried to fish out garbage from the river.

He left Christine on top of a big that was nearly covered by floodwaters.

“The father only laughed at the people who tried to call his attention,” Cabildo said.

The father and daughter were brought  to the San Nicolas police precinct for questioning and were later released.

Elsewhere, an abandoned house collapsed and fell down a river where it was partially covered in mud due to yesterday’s rains.

Dario Garces, a resident, said the waer level rose and weakened the soil foundation.

The river lies between sitios Hawihaw of barangay Kalunasan and Sandayung of barangay Guadalupe.

In Colon, floodwaters forced traffic enforcers to close Sikatuna and Bonifacio roads in order to avoid congestion.

Jeepneys bound for  Urgello, Basak and Labangon were rerouted to T. Padilla road towards MJ Cuenco instead.

Traffic flow returned to normal a few hours after the water level subsided. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac and Correspondent Edison delos Angeles