GMA Network has appealed to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to annul and reverse the order mandating the network and several other companies to pay an administrative fine of Php890,000 over the death of veteran actor Eddie Garcia.
In a statement sent by the Kapuso network to the Inquirer, GMA said that it has received the copy of the order of the Labor Department.
“GMA will proceed with the necessary steps as soon as the DOLE resolves its appeal,” GMA said.
Garcia died after suffering a spinal injury during the shoot of a GMA teleserye ‘Rosang Agimat’.
The 90-year-old actor was in a coma for two weeks after the injury.
The Labor Department also found out that GMA has committed three labor violations of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Law.
Violations included failure to submit an incident report within 24 hours of the accident, no safety officer was present and absence of first aid personnel on the set.
The DOLE said that GMA has direct supervision on shootings like the one involving Garcia.
“GMA failed to consider the age of Mr. Eddie Garcia and ensure the safety of the shooting location. While GMA may have required the production of lights and lighting effects, food for employees, talents and crew, it however, failed to deploy personnel that are competent to provide first aid and medical attention to all cast and crew which is in violation of DO 198,” the DOLE added.
“It has no safety officer with mandatory training on OSH certified by the Dole or by an accredited training organization when the accident happened,” the decision read.