2 city execs suspended over building collapse

As four more bodies extricated from rubble

ANGELES CITY, Pampanga, Philippines — Two officials of the Office of the City Building Official here have been placed under preventive suspension, as authorities continue their investigation into the collapse of a nine-story building in Barangay Balibago.

Lawyer Darwin Reyes, special legal adviser of the city government and member of the fact-finding task force, said the preventive suspension is an administrative measure intended to ensure a fair investigation and without interference from stakeholders.

Reyes said the suspension starts today and will last for 60 days, or not later than July 30.

He said the fact-finding task force is still trying to determine the cause of the collapse and identify government officials or private individuals who may be held liable for the incident.

Authorities said the probe continues as investigators work to establish accountability in the structural failure.

Death toll hits 10

Meanwhile, responders recovered four more bodies from the collapsed building, bringing the number of casualties to 10 as of 5 p.m. yesterday.

The Bureau of Fire Protection said the first body was found in Quadrant 2, adding that the victim is undergoing identification through the Disaster Victim Identification or DVI protocols.

Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin II said retrieval and clearing operations would continue for at least 10 other people still listed as missing.

Lazatin said a vaccination card was found near the seventh victim, but stressed that his identification can only be established once the DVI process of the city health office is completed.

He said the eighth body was that of a female.

Lazatin said that the city government continues to provide help and support to families affected by the incident.