Marcos orders probe into Cabagan bridge collapse

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered a thorough investigation into the collapse of the Cabagan-Santa Maria Bridge in Isabela on February 27, which left six people injured.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro disclosed that President Marcos emphasized the need for accountability and stressed that those responsible must face legal consequences if evidence of corruption is found.

The bridge, which reopened less than a month ago after retrofitting works, partially collapsed when a dump truck carrying boulders weighing approximately 102 tons passed over it, exceeding the bridge's design capacity.

Castro also urged local government units (LGUs) to regularly inspect infrastructure projects and coordinate with the DPWH should they find any irregularities.

Initial information from the DPWH showed that the construction of the 990-meter bridge began in November 2014, but was completed on February 1, 2025, at a total cost of P1.2 billion.

Further investigations will be launched to determine if there is corruption behind the retrofitting of the bridge from 2014 until now, as stated by President Marcos.

Former ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. Antonio Tinio highlighted that this incident is not isolated and pointed out systemic issues of corruption and lack of proper oversight in infrastructure projects.