3 die of suffocation in sewer manhole

MANILA, Philippines — Three workers of a construction firm died of suffocation in a 14-meter-deep sewer manhole in Quezon City on Friday night, police reported yesterday.

Police investigators identified the victims as Arnel dela Peña, 55; Cedie Paligutan, 26, and Gabriel Constantino, who are workers of Andem Construction Co.

The victims perished in the manhole underneath a flyover along Katipunan Avenue in Barangay Loyola Heights at around 10:30 p.m.

The victims and their supervisor were dispatched to the scene to conduct an infiltration and exfiltration test of the newly constructed manhole.

Dela Peña was the first to go down but he collapsed on the landing platform.

Instead of calling for rescuers from the Bureau of Fire Protection and the local government, the supervisor instructed Paligutan and Constantino to rescue Dela Peña, but they also collapsed.

The victims were pronounced dead on arrival at the Quirino Memorial Medical Center on Saturday at around 12:30 a.m.

Police are investigating the supervisor for negligence.