- GMA Network responded to DOLE’s findings.
- GMA Network reiterated that they complied with all the requirements of the OHS Law.
GMA Network has filed its response to DOLE’s preliminary findings on the Eddie Garcia incident. This is in relation to the three violations that DOLE said GMA network has committed.
On September 4, DOLE’s NCR Director Sarah Buena Mirasol said GMA committed three violations with regards to the incident that cost Eddie Garcia’s life.
According to Mirasol, GMA Network and its contractors failed to submit a report on the incident within 24 hours, they also did not provide a safety officer, and a first aid professional on set.
Meanwhile, in their comment to the DOLE’s findings, GMA Network explained that after completing its own internal investigation, they’ve deemed it necessary to gave the result first to the family of Eddie Garcia as a sign of respect but thereafter submitted a copy to DOLE on July 5, 2019. And as a response to their alleged violations, GMA answered it one by one.
On failure to submit an incident report within 24 hours, GMA argued that the IRR, as worded, states that such a case of “work accidents resulting in disabling injury or death” is an exception to the requirement that a report be made within 24 hours from the occurrence. GMA submitted the report within one (1) month from the accident which occurred last June 8, 2019.
For the second violation which is lack of security officers, GMA confirmed that it actually had a sufficient number of DOLE-certified safety officers catering to its employees. But the “workplace” covered by the OSH Law is deemed to refer only to those places where services of the employees are regularly rendered. GMA maintained that the IRR cannot expand the coverage of the law to include temporary, moving, or shifting locations. Extending said requirement of the law through the IRR to all temporary taping locations would unreasonably burden the industry with a requirement which is beyond the contemplation of the law.
And for the third violation which is lack of first aid professional on the set, GMA attested that three production staff who have completed the Philippine Red Cross’ lecture-demonstration on First Aid and Basic Life Support – CPR were present on the location site on the day of the accident.
On June 8, Eddie Garcia figured in an accident during the taping of GMA Network’s Rosang Agimat.
Initial reports said that the actor has suffered from a heart attack but it was later confirmed to be a severe neck injury. The screen veteran was comatose for more than a week before succumbing to his injuries on Thursday, June 20.
