Philippine National Police Regional Office 3 Director Brig. Gen. Jess Mendez on Sunday personally visited Barangay Balibago, Angeles City following reports of the collapse of a 10-story building under construction.
The structure, located along Oak Street corner Teodoro Street in Barangay Balibago, reportedly collapsed at around 3:45 a.m.
Mendez ordered the deployment of PRO3 personnel to assist in area security, traffic management, and coordination with the Bureau of Fire Protection, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and other responding agencies as search and rescue operations continued.
Authorities said 175 PRO3 personnel, 23 members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and 245 BFP personnel had been deployed to the site.
Mendez assured the public of PRO3’s full support and emphasized the importance of swift action, teamwork, and public safety during critical incidents.
According to a witness who was vending near the site, she heard a loud rumbling sound moments before the collapse.
The witness said she briefly lost consciousness and, upon waking up, saw the building had already collapsed and covered two nearby streets.
Personnel from the nearest police station immediately responded to secure the area, while firefighters and emergency medical teams also arrived at the scene.
Authorities said the cause of the collapse remains under investigation, while the number of casualties and extent of damage have yet to be determined.
Rescue operations remain ongoing.
