POLICE SAY: Owner of well where 2 men died is liable

CEBU, Philippines - Families of the two men who died while cleaning an old well the other day may file a legal action to seek for damages from the person who hired the victims, police said yesterday.

City Police Director Patrocinio Comendador said, however, that they can only help in getting the statement of witnesses, and not in the actual filing of a case, if the victim’s families do decide to press charges.

Comendador said what happened to Wendel Obregon, 28, and Marlon Dilao, 32, could not be considered criminal in nature because it involves a case leading to an accident.

Comendador said Felimon Bruce, the owner of the piggery where the well is located in Barangay Capitol Site, has civil liability.

Bruce hired Obregon and Dilao to clean the well last Sunday purportedly to solve the problem of water in the area. He said their barangay and its neighboring areas have been experiencing water shortage for the past months due to El Niño.

Bruce said he wanted to use the water from the well for his hogs.

The well, estimated to be about 20 feet deep, has been left dormant for the past two years and is filled with water and mud. Obregon reportedly attempted to go down first, but accidentally slipped and fell. Dilao tried to save his friend, but failed to do so.

Homicide investigators said the two men might have drowned and/or suffocated.