More bodies found in Mt Prov landslide; search on

NATONIN, Mountain Province -- The Mines and Geosciences Bureau of Region 2 has sent a rescue team of a mining company to help in search and retrieval operations for victims of the landslide here that buried alive some 17 persons while they were inside a Dept. of Public Works and Highways building at the height of Typhoon Rosing. 

Mario Ancheta, MGB-Cagayan Valley regional director, said Australian mining firm Oceana Gold also responded to the call of the Philippine Red Cross to provide additional tools for the operations.

Authorities said 10 persons are still missing in the landslide as only a body part was pulled out from ground zero on Nov. 9.

On Nov. 10 around 5:49 p.m., the body of Linson N. Pallichang, 34, married, laborer of RAF Construction Builders and resident of Barangay Ubao, Aguinaldo, Ifugao was found.

The cadaver was identified by couple Paulino and Josefa Pallichang.

Search operations in Sitio Ha’rang, Barangay Banawel will continue through the efforts of the provincial and municipal local government units in Mountain Province and other volunteers.

Search head Brigadier General Leopoldo Imbang Jr. with commander Lt. Col. Narciso Nabulneg Jr., turned over the SRR operations Nov. 9 formally to local government units of Mountain Province and Natonin through Gov. Bonifacio Lacwasan and Mayor Mateo Chiyawan  as LDRRMC chairmen.

Civil Defense Cordillera regional director Ruben Carandang decided to terminate the search and retrieval under the national and regional level effective Nov.8 following evaluation

Imbang said “the national contingents will only be temporarily leaving the site” assuring that they will be supporting the continuous operation and on call if needed.

At least 1000 responders and rescuers coming from the different government and law enforcement agencies, private groups and organizations as well as other volunteers from the nearby regions of Region 1, 2, 3 and other areas came to help in sarch operations in Natonin since Oct. 31.

A massive landslide hit the DPWH Mountain Province Second District Engineering Office where several laborers and residents took shelter at around 4 p.m. on Oct. 30 during the height of typhoon Rosita.

Part of the building was buried in the land erosion while most of the building was washed out to the nearby creek.

At least 30 individuals were reported as casualties in the incident. 

Chiyawan said they will continue search operations until they locate the remaining missing individuals. There have been 18 bodies recovered from the ground zero to the nearby water bodies in lower Natonin to Paracelis.

Mountain Province PDRRMO head lawyer Edward Chumawar said the search will be done by personnel of  LDRRMCs composed of the local PNP, BFP and other member agencies.

They are also joined by the LDRRMCs and volunteers from the nearby municipalities of Mayoyao and Aguinaldo in Ifugao; Paracelis, Besao, Bauko and Tadian in Mountain Province and Kalinga province and even from the small scale miners of Itogon, Benguet.

Meanwhile, in his visit to the ground zero recently, OCD Administrator Usec. Ricardo Jalad said that the efforts of the local SRR operations will supported and be guided by the OCD including logistics and other needs. -- PIA and Victor Martin