Landslide buries house; Kibungan couple killed

KIBUNGAN, Benguet – A couple died when their bungalow was hit by a landslide here last week even as a Globe employee was hit by a landslide while traversing the Halsema Highway on the same day in adjacent Buguias town bringing him down the road.

In Kibungan, a police report said the victims identified as Florentino and Cristina Ligaten were inside when the house was buried with soil on Aug. 25 around 6 a.m. at Barangay Tagpaya.

Their son, Clifford, was rescued by neighbors and was rushed to Atok District Hospital and is now in stable condition.

The remains of the victims were interred at a nearby house even as clearing operations were led by Cesar mayor Monte Molitas.

On the same day around 5:30 p.m., a mudslide transpired along Halsema Highway, Km 73, Amgalueygey, Buguias, also in Benguet.

Investigation disclosed that Christian Asiong Babsa-ay, 27, married, Globe employee collector, and resident of Purok 3 Irisan, Baguio City was on his way to Baguio City on board his motorcycle when he was hit and pushed down the highway by a huge mudslide coming from the mountain.

The mudslide took along Babsa-ay and rested in front of a concrete residential house, hitting the owner of the house named as Sanidad Bacquian Alawas, 57, married, storekeeper and two other bystanders namely: Erkin Galino Onio, 31, of Payeo, Besao, Mountain Province, and Winnie Joy Lad-Ey Onio, 29, social worker, and resident of Pusel, Amgaleyguey, Buguias.

The victims were rushed by concerned residents to Northern Benguet District Hospital, Bekes, Buyacaon, Buguias for treatment.

Babsa-ay was referred by the attending physician Marilou Cabinta, to Luis Hora Regional Memorial Hospital in Abatan, Bauko, Mt. Province for further treatment due to severe head injuries.

In Tublay, Benguet, a bungalow owned by a certain Joven C. Ernesto was totally destroyed by a landslide here Aug. 26 around 3 a.m. at Sitio Ullman,Coros Ambassador.

No person was injured while Ernesto was at his boarding house in Tabeo, Ambassador when the landslide occurred. Estimated cost of damages of the house and personal belongings was P120,000.