4 more bodies retrieved from Angeles building rubble

First responders navigate a labyrinth of mangled steel and pulverized concrete on Sunday, May 24, 2026, following the sudden collapse of an under-construction nine-story building in Barangay Balibago, Angeles City, Pampanga. The structure gave way around 2:00 a.m., leaving an estimated 30 to 40 workers unaccounted for, according to the project foreman. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

ANGELES CITY—The death toll from the collapse of a nine-story building under construction in Barangay Balibago rose to 10 on Sunday after rescuers recovered four more bodies from the wreckage, exactly one week after the tragedy.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said three bodies were recovered between 2:51 p.m. and 4:47 p.m., with no identifying belongings found, following an earlier recovery at 7:42 a.m.

Search, rescue, retrieval, and clearing operations continued despite heavy rains overnight, with responders still hopeful that survivors may be found beneath the debris.

The building collapsed before dawn on May 24, trapping workers and damaging nearby establishments.

Among the fatalities identified so far were construction workers Roberto Sabile, 51; his son Christian Sabile, 26; Mark Laurence Capungay, 21; and Porperio Alikaway, 66. Malaysian national Mond Reza Abdullah, 65, who was staying at a nearby hotel, was also killed. Another victim remains unidentified.

As rescue operations entered their seventh day, city authorities intensified efforts to determine the cause of the collapse.

Suspended

Two officials of the Angeles City Building Office—City Building Official Architect Norbert Lagman and City Structural Engineer Marlon Lingat—were placed under preventive suspension for 60 days pending investigation, city legal counsel Atty. Darwin Reyes said on Saturday.

The suspensions coincided with the creation of the Angeles City Fact-Finding and Investigation Task Force through an executive order signed by Mayor Carmelo Lazatin II. The body has been tasked with reviewing permits, engineering plans, construction documents and compliance with building and safety regulations.

Lazatin assured the public that a fair investigation would be conducted and that those found responsible would be held accountable.

Representatives of both the building owner and contractor said they would cooperate with the city-led probe.

The contractor’s counsel, lawyer Nico Manguerra, said assistance efforts for affected workers and families remain ongoing, while some victims and relatives claimed they have yet to be contacted by either the owner or contractor.

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