PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday ordered a thorough investigation into the collapse of the Cabagan – Santa Maria Bridge in Isabela and warned that heads will roll if corruption played a role in the disaster.
“Nagkausap kami ni Pangulo kahapon regarding this. Ito talaga ay papa-imbestigahan,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said during the Radyo Pilipinas’ Prangkahan Na! Program.
“Kung may bahid man ng korapsyon sa nangyaring ito mula pa noong 2014 hanggang sa ngayon, kung meron man, hindi talaga puwedeng hindi managot. Iyan ang sagot ng Pangulo, lalo na kung may bahid ng korapsyon,” she added.
Castro also noted that while the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has already begun its investigation, the gravity of the case calls for concrete evidence and accountability.
Castro further emphasized that local government units (LGUs) must take the lead in assessing infrastructure conditions, stressing that this responsibility does not fall solely on the President.
While Castro said the collapse of the newly reopened bridge in Isabela is “not just an ordinary case,” the government still needs to determine the real cause of the incident.
She said it is within the local government unit’s mandate to assess the integrity of the entire structure of the bridge and coordinate with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) if there is a problem.
According to DPWH – Cagayan Valley, the third span of the bridge collapsed around 8 p.m. on Thursday after a dump truck weighing approximately 102 tons—far exceeding the bridge’s load capacity—passed over it.
The P1.2 billion bridge project began construction in November 2014 and was completed on February 1, 2025.
Authorities are expected to release further findings as the investigation progresses.