PNP Chief Plt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. – Photo courtesy of the Office of the Chief PNP/Facebook.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has joined efforts to investigate a building collapse in Angeles City, Pampanga that killed at least two people over the weekend.
PNP chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said police teams were sent to the site to back ongoing search and rescue operations.
He said authorities would also look into what caused the incident, although the priority remained on saving lives and locating those still unaccounted for.
Nartatez said all available resources were being mobilized on the ground, with responders racing against time to assist victims and their families.
Local police were also ordered to set up help desks to provide medical attention and psychosocial support.
The structure, which was still under construction, collapsed early Sunday in Barangay Balibago and also damaged a nearby apartelle.
The Bureau of Fire Protection confirmed one fatality identified as a Malaysian, while another death was reported the following day.
Authorities have yet to determine what triggered the collapse as rescue operations continue.