Cagayan, Isabela floods death toll hits seven

By Raymund Catindig

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — The death toll due to flooding in Isabela and Cagayan since last week has increased to seven.

This, as a 30-year-old overseas Filipino worker swept away by floodwaters in Roxas, Isabela on Dec. remained missing, authorities said.

Roderick Palapuz, who had just returned from Saudi Arabia, and his companion were pushing logs submerged in floodwater to higher ground in Barangay Simimbaan when the incident occurred.

Palapuz’s companion managed to swim to safety.

Two others were reported missing at presstime.

Ilagan City Mayor Jose Marie Diaz suspended classes anew on Tuesday as several villages remained submerged in floodwater.

Pamplona Mayor Estrelita Ancheta-Aguinaldo said the road linking her town to Ilocos Norte is still not passable due to landslides.

The bodies of Rick Mar Serame, 30, and Mario Parandit, who drowned in Barangay Allasitan and Bidduang, respectively, in Pamplona, Cagayan  were recovered on Sunday, town police chief Capt. Joel Labasan said.

On Dec. 7, the body of farmer Hilario Bersamin, 63, who was swept away by floodwaters, was recovered in a corn field in Barangay Sto. Tomas.

Three others drowned in flashfloods in Tumauini and Ilagan City in Isabela and Linao, Aparri.

Rosendo Calayan, 71, was gored to death by his carabao when he tried to pull the animal to a higher ground in Barangay Linao Norte in this city.

Authorities said a four-year-old boy who was trapped in his house that was buried in a landslide in Barangay Kalayukay, Luna, Apayao on Thursday also remains missing.

Thousands remain in evacuation centers in Cagayan and Isabela.

Not due to illegal logging

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said the flashfloods in Cagayan and Isabela were not due to illegal logging.

“There is no evidence of freshly cut or illegally cut trees. These are trees damaged in previous strong typhoons that hit the region,” DENR-Cagayan Valley regional director Antonio Abawag said, referring to logs and trees swept away by floodwaters.

Abawag said the DENR is conducting an inventory of these logs and uprooted trees.

He said the Regional Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force has intensified its campaign against forest destruction in coordination with police and military personnel.

Abawag said they would investigate those behind illegal logging in the region.

Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba had earlier said illegal logging thrives in his province because it has the blessing of local government, police and DENR officials. – With a report from Victor Martin