Girl, 9, dies as riprap collapses in Antipolo

MANILA, Philippines – A nine-year-old girl died while two others were injured when the riprap of a government road widening project collapsed, burying five houses in Antipolo, Rizal on Saturday.

Eika Kim Paclibar was declared dead on arrival at the Antipolo City Hospital. Her body was found at around 11:30 p.m. by a joint rescue team composed of members of the Philippine Army, Navy, National Disaster and Rescue Management Center and a K-9 unit.

Two others were taken to the hospital for treatment.

Using a backhoe and bare hands, it took rescue workers six hours to retrieve the body of Paclibar from under the rubble, according to Rizal police director Senior Superintendent Bernabe Balba.

Residents of Sitio Kasapi in Barangay Bagong Nayon, Cogeo, where the incident occurred at around 5:30 p.m., were prevented from returning to their homes as workers of the Department of Public Works and Highway were clearing the area.

Village chief Larry Onza said the road project along Marcos Highway was being rushed, noting workers were working overnight.

Two days before the incident, residents noticed that the stones used in the riprap were falling on the houses.

Onza and village watchman Ricardo Ongga told the workers about the stones and asked them to check the wall. The workers apparently ignored them, he said.