The collapse of the Isabela Bridge has shocked public opinion as many people have questioned the responsibility of those involved. Recently, the name of former President Rodrigo Duterte has suddenly been mentioned, making the situation even more tense. Is he really involved in this tragedy?

The Isabela Bridge, an important traffic route, suddenly collapsed, seriously affecting many vehicles and people. The initial cause was said to be due to weak structure, lack of maintenance over a long period of time and the impact of natural disasters.

However, instead of just stopping at technical factors, public opinion has begun to pay attention to those responsible for managing and supervising infrastructure projects in the past. And this is when the name of former President Rodrigo Duterte was mentioned.

Some analysts and politicians believe that during his term, Mr. Duterte had policies to invest heavily in infrastructure but was also criticized for lacking strict supervision. They question whether this project is among the projects that have been neglected and not seriously inspected for quality?

However, supporters of the former President say that this is just a political way of blaming. They argue that the responsibility for maintaining and supervising the bridge belongs to the local government and relevant agencies, not a former national leader.

Currently, an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the bridge collapse and the individuals or organizations responsible. If there were any violations in the design, construction or maintenance process, those involved will certainly not be able to avoid legal responsibility.

So in the end, was former President Duterte really involved in this tragedy? Or was this just a political ploy to weaken his influence? The answer will soon be revealed when the investigation is completed. Let’s wait and see!

Duterte admin implicated in bridge collapse
A deeper investigation will be conducted into the collapsed bridge in Cabagan, Isabela to determine who should be held responsible for the incident.

In a press briefing in Malacañang, Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro said that initial investigation revealed that construction on the bridge began in 2014 and that 90% of it was done under the Duterte administration.

She said that over time, the bridge has been through many storms and calamities such as earthquakes and is no longer strong enough to be retrofitted.

Castro said that initial investigation revealed that the bridge was only for light vehicles but that three trucks with heavy loads passed by it, causing it to collapse.

“It was not repaired because there were heavy vehicles passing by that were not compatible with the bridge’s capacity,” Castro said.

Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan said that the owners of the three dump trucks that passed through could be held liable, not just the previous administration but also the current officials, whoever is responsible for the incident.

“The saying is that it is not just the previous administration that can be held liable here – everyone, up until now, whoever may have liability here, if there is any, everyone should be held liable,” Castro added.

The bridge cost P1.2 billion and only opened to light vehicles in February.