Contractor denies liability in Laguna bridge collapse

MANILA, Philippines —  A construction company has denied any liability in the collapse of a P15-million bridge in Pakil, Laguna in 2019.

The St. Gerrard Construction General Contractor and Development Corp. said it has not been blacklisted by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) over the incident.

Curlee Discaya, chief executive officer of St. Gerrard, made the statement on Monday following online allegations blaming the company for the failed bridge project.

Discaya said allegations stemmed from a post on the Facebook page of the Pasig City News and Updates, which shared a portion of a news article in 2019 that blamed the incident on the contractor.

Discaya said that logs carried by the strong river current hit the temporary formworks used during concrete pouring and caused the bridge to collapse.

Discaya said the bridge has been completed and remains structurally sound.

He expressed belief that the revival of the issue is part of a smear campaign against his wife Sarah, who is running for mayor of Pasig.