Tunnel discovered under EDSA

MANILA, Philippines - The outermost northbound lane of EDSA in Guadalupe, Makati City was closed to traffic yesterday after a large hole, which is believed to be a tunnel, was discovered by the crew of Manila Water Co.

Engineer Benedicto de Ramos, operations engineer of the Second Metro Manila Engineering District of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), said that employees of a Manila Water contractor found the hole at past 2 a.m. yesterday while they were about to lay pipes in the area.

De Ramos said the measurement of the opening was a meter wide and a meter long along EDSA. But beneath, some 3 meters from surface, is a bigger hole that was initially speculated to be a tunnel or the result of a cave-in.

“It seemed that it is a bigger hole. A six-wheeler truck can fit inside it. Some say it might be a tunnel but I suspect that it was a cave-in,” he added.

Jeric Sevilla, head of Manila Water’s Corporate Communications Division, said the company’s contractor stumbled upon the tunnel while doing repair work in the area.

“We are discussing the possible actions that can be undertaken given the discovery of the tunnel. Right now, we are trying to put in place logistics such as if there will be a need for human entry in the tunnel or if a CCTV (closed circuit television camera) will do to check on what’s in the tunnel,” Sevilla said.

He said Manila Water is coordinating with the DPWH and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

“We, of course, would want that safety measures be observed before undertaking any action. We want to exercise extreme caution here, that is why we first engaged in a meeting and we notified concerned agencies,” Sevilla said.

Manila Water is presently rehabilitating water lines along EDSA.

“The water pipes have been laid in the 1960s. These are already old and susceptible to breakage and leaks,” Sevilla said.

DPWH engineers would have wanted to explore the hole further but they did not have a ladder yesterday morning.

There were others who raised apprehension that there could be deadly gases inside or it could be connected to the gas leak found last year in Barangay Bangkal in Makati City.

There were those who also wanted to conduct tests to ensure that it would be safe for humans to enter the hole.

Manila Water was reportedly planning to bring down a CCTV camera to get a better image.

When asked if the closure of the outermost northbound lane of EDSA near the foot of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) station in Guadalupe Makati City would affect traffic flow, De Ramos said he doubted the possibility since the hole is on the outermost lane or closest to the sidewalk.

At the moment, Manila Water had suspended digging operations and steel plates were placed on top of the tunnel opening as a temporary cover surrounded by concrete barriers.

Authorities are looking into the possibility that the tunnel could be a secret passage to the nearby Army camp of Fort Bonifacio.

Makati City’s Information and Community Relations Department head Joey Salgado said Mayor Junjun Binay has directed the city’s engineering department to immediately inspect the tunnel. With Rhodina Villanueva, Jose Rodel Clapano