CA seeks check on YMCA bldg cracks

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

THE Court of Appeals-Cagayan de Oro station has asked government engineers to thoroughly inspect the building that houses the appellate court on Julio Pacana Street over fears the recent earthquakes that rattled Mindanao compromised its structural integrity. The building, owned by the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), showed cracks.

City engineer Rolando Pacuribot said the request came from CA-Cagayan de Oro station Executive Justice Edgardo Camello who was worried because of cracks in a courtroom at the 4th level of the YMCA Building.

He said the floor and a wall of the courtroom cracked.

Pacuribot said the cracks were found after the Oct. 31 magnitude 6.5 earthquake that damaged and destroyed properties and displaced many people in Mindanao.

Camello has ordered the courtroom temporarily closed to the public until structural engineers could guarantee public safety, Pacuribot said.

He said the City Engineer’s Office forwarded Camello’s request to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) because it has a pool of structural engineering experts.

“Naghangyo si Justice Camello kanamo nga masusi sa structural engineers ang 4th floor sa ilang building. Wala may among structural engineer sa city hall, mao nang naghangyo pud mi sa DPWH,” Pacuribot said.

A team led by Pacuribot inspected several buildings in the city and found minor damages. ”Magamit pa ang maong mga buildings bisan na-ay ginanagmay nga cracks,” he said.

But Pacuribot said the same could not be said yet of the building that houses the appellate court until the official result of an structural engineering inspection is out.

A building, he said, is considered in danger of collapsing if engineers find its foundation, columns, beams, slabs, and floors have cracked.