President Duterte said that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers were going to his house in Davao City to check on its structural integrity following the 6.5-magnitude quake which rocked North Cotabato Thursday.
Cracks appeared inside Duterte’s home following the quake which jolted parts of Mindanao Thursday morning.
According to the President, the cracks inside his house started to appear when the first quake struck Mindanao last month.
“There are cracks even during — as early as about three earthquakes ago. Every time it happens, may bagong crack. Pero crack lang naman. It’s — makita mo na ang ano linya (a new crack appears. But it’s just a crack. You can see the line),” he told reporters in Davao City Thursday evening.
Duterte said that the Presidential Security Group (PSG) insisted that engineers check the structural integrity of Duterte’s house to determine if it was safe for him and his family to stay there.
“Sabi ng (The) PSG, they are insisting that it will be inspected. Maybe tomorrow (sic). Taga-DPWH pati… ‘Yung structural engineers diyan sa city government,” he said.
Duterte was in his home when the earthquake struck past 9 a.m. off Tulunan, North Cotabato, the same area of the previous two earthquakes.
According to Duterte, it was time that local government units to inspect all buildings.
“Umpisahan na nila ngayon. It’s a — the earthquake season has come. I don’t know if it will occur again between now and tomorrow,” he said.
He, however, found it unfortunate that he had to be in Bangkok, Thailand for four days to attend the 35th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits.
“Ang problema nito wala ako dito, sa Bangkok ako. So I do not want disasters to happen when I am not around. Not — not just for anything. Ano lang, just to be here and do what you can do for your countrymen,” Duterte added.
Malacañang said Thursday that even if in Thailand, Duterte would still be conscientiously monitoring the situation of the areas affected by the earthquake, the third one which jolted Mindanao in October this year.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo also said that Duterte decided to refrain from visiting the affected areas since operations were already underway. The President, instead, ordered the national government to render any assistance necessary to the victims.
‘ON TOP OF SITUATION’
Meanwhile, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar assured that the national government was on top of the situation following the series of earthquakes in Mindanao.
According to the Palace official, all response teams from disaster risk management agencies in the national government were on top of the situation, as directed by President Duterte.
Andanar said Duterte has ordered all government agencies to check and submit a report about the Mindanao earthquake to ensure government buildings and public school buildings are safe, and that evacuees were in a safe area. (Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)
