Jonas forms body tasked to check new public market

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Jonas Cortes has formed a body that will thoroughly inspect the temporarily abandoned new Mandaue City public market.

City administrator James Abadia yesterday said Cortes, through an executive order issued last Thursday, has formed a body composed of engineers from the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers(PICE), the sixth engineering district of the DPWH and some engineers from the City Engineering Office.

Abadia said although the city has been inspecting the city market but an independent body is also needed for double checking it to avoid a possible whitewash in the investigation.

The body is given a month to submit a report.

Earlier, Engr. Christopher Tamayo, a structural engineer from Manila who inspected the market said it remains unsafe because of the continuing falling debris.

The maket is temporarily closed pending the results of the inspections as vendors are temporarily selling goods at certain areas at the old and new public markets.

Most vendors are now hesistant to return to their respective stalls after the death of Jurinda Casul, a market vendor who died instantly after being hit with a decorative glass walling when the 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Bohol and Cebu last Tuesday morning. (FREEMAN)