Robbers blamed for classroom ceiling crash

By: Dolly Yasa

Bacolod City – Robbers are being blamed for the classroom ceiling that collapsed last week.

But Councilor Renecito Novero, chairman of the SP Committee on Education, does not believe that robbers may have caused the incident and that it needs deeper investigation.

Novero said it is unbelievable that a robber or robbers would pass through the ceiling because it is located on the third floor of Domingo Lacson National High School.

But the contractor of the school building says robbers are the most likely suspects.

Bernade Gilbor of the Supreme ABF Construction told reporters that robbers perennially attempt to ransack the school.

Earlier, Bacolod lone district Rep. Greg Gasataya asked the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to investigate the incident that happened on June 18, 2019.

“It was fortunate that no one was hurt,” Gasataya said.

The school building was constructed in 2016 with funding from the Department of Education (DepEd).

Gilbor said that the construction met the specification; however, the ceiling may have buckled under the weight of the “robbers.”

He said his firm will repair the damage without cost to the government.

Villareal said the contractor will shoulder the repair even though it’s not included in the warranty period.

He said they completed and turned over the building to the school administration almost two years ago.

Gilbor reiterated that the materials and the method of ceiling installation are in accordance with plans and specifications.

“Any additional weight imposed on the ceiling will eventually cause the ceiling to give-in as it is only designed to carry the weight of the fiber cement board,” he further said.

Gilbor said they lost a lot of material when they constructed the school building.

“We’ve lost a sizable quantity of reinforcing bars and tie wires, bag of cements, door knobs, panel doors, electrical wires and lightings, jalousie glasses, plumbing fixtures, painting materials and many unaccounted items,” he said.

The ceiling of a classroom in Domingo Lacson National High School here collapsed probably due to lack of metal hanger support.

The collapse of the ceiling was discovered by a student who informed high school teacher James Sevillejo .

Sevillejo said the incident probably happened Tuesday night.

The classroom is being used for English classes of senior high students. It is situated at the third floor of Building C.