More than 1,000 ‘missing’ due to Sendong; search for victims expanded

Rescuers expanded the search for victims of tropical storm Sendong (international name: Washi) as authorities reported that more than 1,000 are still missing, a government official said.

Benito Ramos, administrator of the Office of Civil Defense, said the number of fatalities rose from 1,010 to 1,080 as rescuers continued to recover bodies at sea.

Some of those that were recovered Thursday were found in waters off Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, Ramos said.

“Malayo na ito sa Cagayan de Oro, malapit na sa Gingoog… kung ganun na ang palatandaan, ibig sabihin umaabot na sa Camiguin ‘yung mga bangkay, ganoon na kalawak, 300 to 400 kilometers na ang layo sa Cagayan de Oro kaya lumawak pa ang paghahanap,” the official told reporters in a phone interview.

In its latest update, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said 1,079 persons are still missing in Northern Mindanao, ARMM, and Central Visayas.

Eduardo Ollet, head of the NDRRMC operations center in Manila, said the figure was based on reports by relatives of those who remain unaccounted for a week after the storm wreaked havoc.

“‘Yung report kasi ng kamag-anak kailangan mong i-report ‘yun as valid, ang problema natin ‘yung mga bangkay na hindi na mapagkilanlan… baka marami dun ay ‘yung mga inireport na nawawala,” Ollet said.

Ramos, also the NDRRMC’s executive director, said he ordered the operations center to stop counting the missing persons as the results may be “misleading.”

“Pinahinto ko muna ‘yang bilang ng missing kasi maski ‘yung barangay captain hindi na niya talaga alam kung ilan, nung madaling-araw na mangyari ‘yun, maraming natutulog so there was a lot of confusion,” he said.

Ramos assured that the search and retrieval operations will continue even during Christmas and New Year’s days.

Slow recovery

Meanwhile, Ramos said Sendong caused so much destruction in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan that it will take time for the lives of residents to return to normal.

The main concern now is to sustain the thousands of people left homeless by floods that wrecked a number of communities, according to the official.

“The situation is slowly going back to normal, kailangan kasing i-sustain natin ‘yung mga tao dahil walang mapuntahan na bahay, magko-construct muna tayo ng bahay, medyo matagal ‘yun,” he said.

The NDRRMC said the storm affected 102,899 families or 674,472 people in Northern Mindanao, Southern Mindanao, Western Mindanao, ARMM, Caraga, Central Visayas, and Western Visayas.

It placed the number of evacuees in Northern Mindanao – where Cagayan de Oro and Iligan belong to – at 46,486 families or 249,679 persons.

“Sendong,” the deadliest storm to hit the country after “Uring” killed 5,000 in Ormoc in 1991, destroyed 8,068 houses and left 12,221 others partially damaged in Northern Mindanao, according to the NDRRMC.

Ramos said the NDRRMC and the local government of Cagayan de Oro have already identified a site where the evacuees will be relocated.

“Na-identify na ‘yung lugar na lilipatan nila, ipatag lang muna kasi baku-bako… mataas na lugar ito, hindi na flood-prone area, hindi rin landslide-prone area, safe sila dito,” the official said. (John Roson)

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Rebels declare longer ceasefire in flood-hit areas

Communist rebels declared a longer ceasefire on government forces in several areas of Mindanao, vowing to help the victims of floods caused by tropical storm Sendong.

Norsen Mangubat, spokesperson of the Communist Party of the Philippines’ North Central Mindanao Regional Committee, said the group has ordered all units of the New People’s Army (NPA) to suspend all tactical offensives in the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, and the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, and Lanao del Norte, from Dec. 21 to Jan. 3, 2012.

“In particular, the NPA is to suspend offensive actions against military detachments, camps, and outposts, including police stations and outposts,” Mangubat said in a statement.

Earlier this week, the CPP Central Committee ordered all NPA units in the country to implement a ceasefire only from Dec. 24 to Dec. 26 and from Dec. 31 to Jan. 2, 2012.

The CPP leadership’s order came days after the Armed Forces started implementing a unilateral ceasefire from Dec. 16 to Jan. 2.

Meanwhile, Mangubat said all material and financial “donations” received by the CPP-NCMR for Christmas and the CPP’s 43rd anniversary celebration shall be diverted to the retrieval, relief, and rehabilitation of flood victims.

In a separate statement, Jorge Madlos, spokesman of the National Democratic Front-Mindanao, demanded that big companies donate to the victims.

“We are requiring all mining, logging, and agri-business companies that have profited in the past decades and in the present from their business operations to make substantial contributions to defray the cost for effective retrieval, relief and sustainable rehabilitation,” he said. (John Roson)

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‘Sendong’ toll may exceed 1,000 – OCD

Fatalities caused by tropical storm Sendong (international name: Washi) may exceed 1,000 as authorities continue to recover bodies despite “losing count” of those who are still missing.

Benito Ramos, administrator of the Office of Civil Defense, said his office has already confirmed 957 deaths in Northern Mindanao, Central Visayas, Southern Mindanao, ARMM, Western Mindanao, and Caraga.

“Lalampas pa ng 1,000 dahil marami pang missing,” Ramos told reporters in a phone interview from flood-hit Cagayan de Oro City.

In its latest report yesterday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Coordinating Council said 49 people have yet to be accounted for in the affected areas, but military units reported 966 persons missing in Northern Mindanao alone.

“Wala tayong matino na (number ng) missing dahil we lost count sa dami… pati local governments they lost count already,” Ramos said, referring to Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City, where most of the fatalities are.

Thousands to spend Christmas, New Year in evacuation centers

“Sendong,” said to be the worst storm to hit the country in terms of casualties since “Oreng” killed almost 5,000 in a flash flood in Ormoc in 1991, affected 63,079 families or 338,415 people.

Of those affected, an estimated 284,610 people, remain in evacuation centers in Negros Oriental, Iligan City, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Compostela Valley, and Agusan del Sur, according to the NDRRMC.

“Aabutin sila ng Pasko diyan… pagdating ng New Year andiyan pa rin sila sa evacuation center, malungkot,” Ramos said.

“Normal na ang situation dito, nasa evacuation centers na ang mga tao… ang daming tao, ang problema lang shelter, how to sustain them for a long period of time,” he added.

Ramos maintained that the national government did not fail to warn residents of flash floods and landslides, but also blamed the incidents on illegal logging, illegal mining, and silted rivers.

“Illegal logging dahil ang daming troso na pinutol, binunggo nila ‘yung mga tulay.. illegal logging, illegal mining, ‘yan lahat, silted na rin ang mga ilog,” he said. (John Roson)

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182 killed in floods, landslides caused by ‘Sendong’

At least 182 people were killed while over 300 went missing as flashfloods and landslides brought by tropical storm Sendong hit many parts of Mindanao, officials said.

The number of casualties is feared to rise as authorities are still checking reports that some of the missing had died.

Colonel Leopoldo Galon, Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command spokesman, said 97 bodies were recovered in flood-hit Cagayan de Oro City alone, where 125 people were reported missing.

In Iligan City, government troops recovered 75 bodies but 250 people remain missing as of Saturday afternoon, Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang, AFP Western Mindanao Command spokesman, said.

Two people believed to be swept by the floods in Iligan were found dead in Kauswagan town, west of the city, Lanao del Norte provincial police director Senior Supt. Orlando Benas said by phone.

“Marami sa kanila ang tulog, ang nangyari kasi biglang bumaha 2:30 a.m. Isa pa, hindi sila sanay sa bagyo ang tao diyan sa mga area na ‘yan. Usually kasi 25 millimeters lang ang tubig ulan sa kanila, eh ito more than 100 millmeters ang bumagsak,” Office of Civil Defense Benito Ramos said.

“Na-warningan sila pero hindi sila nag-preemptive evacuation,” he added.

Floods in the two cities affected 35 barangays, forcing at least 20,000 people to flee, OCD-10 director Ana Caneda said.

A big damage is expected, but civil defense workers in the field have yet to make an assessment as they are prioritizing the evacuees, she said.

“Expected ang malaking damage, lalo na sa agriculture,” Ramos said.

Power was “shut off” for several hours in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro, but was restored as of 3:30 p.m. Saturday, he said.

In Polanco, Zamboanga del Norte, three people identified as Rodrigo Siangco, Rogelio Ramirez Jr., and a certain Mrs. Damuag, drowned in floods, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported.

In Monkayo, Compostela Valley, five people perished in separate landslides Friday night at the mining area of Brgy. Mt. Diwata, Senior Insp. Gretchin Cinco, Southern Mindanao regional police deputy spokesperson said.

The landslides, caused by rains that started Friday morning, killed Rose Dela Penas, 57, Nasser Tuan, 6, Aliah Tuan, 14, Rhaker Tuan, 4, all residents of Purok 4; and Jolito Lumactud, a boarder at Purok 21, Cinco said. (John Roson)

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5 soldiers killed in rebel attack in Surigao del Sur

Five soldiers got killed while two others were injured in attack by New People’s Army (NPA) in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur, on Friday as government troops started implementing a holiday ceasefire.

Major Eugenio Osias, Army 4th Infantry Division spokesman, said the attack occurred around 5 a.m. in Brgy. Mabuhay.

A team of the 36th Infantry Battalion was conducting a “peace and development program” in the area when rebels on an Isuzu Elf truck came and opened fire at the troops.

“Ni-rush up sila (soldiers) habang nandoon sila sa kanilang temporary location at nagko-conduct ng COPD (community organizing for peace and development), pinutukan sila,” Osias said in a phone interview.

Superintendent Martin Gamba, Caraga regional police spokesman, said the troops were at the barangay hall when attacked.

The soldiers fought to repel the rebels and held on to their position as long as they could but were eventually overran, Osias said.

He declined to name the fatalities and injured until their families are informed.

The rebels took from the slain soldiers a K3 squad automatic weapon, an M203 grenade launcher, four M16 rifles, five M14 rifles, a Harris handheld radio, and a Harris man-packed radio.

“We strongly condemn this treacherous act of the NPA against our soldiers after the Armed Forces’ declaration of a temporary ceasefire,” Osias said. (John Roson)

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Maguindanao massacre suspect eludes troops

Government troops seized high-powered firearms and explosives in a raid at the lair of a suspect in the Maguindanao massacre Thursday, but the target and his “coddlers” escaped.

Colonel Leopoldo Galon, Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command, said elements of the 45th Infantry Battalion and the Maguindanao Provincial Police swooped down at the lair of Mads Utto in Brgy. Manungkaling, Mamasapano, around 2 p.m.

However, Utto, a suspect in the killing of 57 people last Nov. 23, 2009, and the “lawless elements” coddling him eluded arrest, Galon said.

A search at the lair yielded an M16 rifle, four rifle grenades, and a hand grenade among others, according to the regional military spokesman.

The operation came a day after authorities arrested Sahid Guiamadel alias Jun Aliman, another massacre suspect, at a hospital in Kidapawan City where he was recently employed as a security guard.

Guiamadel’s capture brought the number of arrested massacre suspects to 96, but 100 others remain at large. (John Roson)

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Sayyaf commander falls

Authorities arrested an Abu Sayyaf commander wanted for a bombing incident in Central Mindanao during an operation in Lamitan City, Basilan, early Friday.

Commander Kule Mamagong was arrested by operatives led by the 9th Regional Intelligence Division at Brgy. Tandung Ahas around 2:15 a.m., PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz said.

The arrest was carried out on a warrant issued by the Kidapawan City Regional Trial Court for Mamagong, who uses the aliases Molis Tahsin and Kule, for multiple murder with multiple frustrated murder.

The cases stemmed from a bombing incident that transpired in Kidapawan City sometime in 2006, Cruz said.

Mamagong, who has been an Abu Sayyaf member since the time of the group’s fallen leader Abdurajak Janjalani, was brought to Zamboanga City after his arrest. (John Roson)

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5 hurt as Davao SM mall’s canopy collapses

Five construction workers were injured when the canopy of an SM mall being built in Davao City collapsed Thursday morning, police said.

Senior Insp. Gretchin Cinco, Southern Mindanao regional police deputy spokesperson, identified those injured as Ronnie Mosqueda, 23; Alvin Rapista, 22; Ruel Hinampas, 31; Rodel Costorio, 44, and Rogelio Piodo Jr.

The five, all employees of sub-contractor Isamil Builders Construction, were brought to the Southern Philippines Medical Center because of injuries and contusions on the different parts of the body.

The incident occurred around 8:52 a.m. at the new SM mall being built at Ecoland.

The five were doing masonry work when the canopy, which was made of steel and concrete, collapsed, Cinco said, citing results of investigation by the Davao City Police. (John Roson)

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Kidnap leader Abdusalam dead – PNP

Kidnap-for-ransom leader Abdulgani “Waning” Abdusalam died in November after government troops assaulted his lair in Zamboanga Sibugay, a police official said Thursday.

Director Felicisimo Khu, head of the PNP Directorate for Integrated Police Operations in Western Mindanao (DIPO-WM), said his office was able to confirm Abdusalam’s death Tuesday, when an Imam (Muslim priest) issued an affidavit saying that the former had indeed died.

“The Imam who officiated his (Abdusalam) interment issued the affidavit,” Khu said in a phone interview.

After Abdusalam died on November 6, his wife sought the imam’s service for the interment and brought the latter to Sitio Kalang, Brgy. Sangali, Zamboanga City, where her husband’s body lay, the police official said.

Abdusalam was buried the next day on Maubuh Island in Brgy. Panubigan, Zamboanga City, according to Khu.

Abdusalam and his group, which operated in the Zamboanga Peninsula, were subjected to continuous police and military operations from October 15.

The operation intensified a few days later, with Air Force planes dropping bombs and the Army sending elite troops to capture Abdusalam’s lair in Payao, Zamboanga Sibugay.

The assault in ended on October 27, with government forces recieving information that Abdusalam was badly wounded and barely able to walk.

“He died later, after suffering bullet wounds on both thighs,” Khu said. (John Roson)

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Clash, rebel attack mark eve of ceasefire

Soldiers clashed with New People’s Army (NPA) members and the rebels attacked a jail in Lianga, Surigao del Sur, on Thursday, just hours before the government announced a holiday ceasefire.

Colonel Leopoldo Galon, Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command spokesman, said members of the 75th Infantry Battalion figured in a 40-minute gunbattle with an undetermined number of rebels in Brgy San Pedro from 7:40 a.m.

No casualties were reported on both the government and rebel side, but troops recovered an M16 rifle at the encounter site, Galon said.

Around 8:40 a.m., about 11 rebels attacked the “Lianga annex” of the Surigao del Sur District Jail, disarming jailguards of high-powered firearms, police said.

The rebels, clad in camouflage uniforms, arrived on a Hyundai van (LYG-248) and pretended to visit an inmate but suddenly held the jailguards at gunpoint and disarmed them “without any resistance,” Caraga regional police spokesman Supt. Martin Gamba said.

The rebels took an AK-47 rifle, shotgun; two caliber-.38 revolvers, and a caliber-.9mm pistol before locking up the jail guards and their “trustees” and fleeing, Gamba said.

Local policemen found the rebels’ vehicle abandoned at Km. 4, Brgy. San Pedro, 10 a.m.

Around 11 a.m., President Benigno Aquino III announced in Malacanang that the military and police will suspend “offensive operations” against the NPA from December 16 to January 2.

The 18-day suspension of offensive military operations (SOMO) will only cover “deliberate” operations against the NPA, Department of National Defense spokesman Peter Paul Galvez said in a briefing in Camp Aguinaldo.

Colonel Arnulfo Burgos, Armed Forces spokesman, said the military will continue road checkpoints, patrols, and law enforcement operations to defend vital installations against possible attacks by the NPA during the holiday ceasefire.

Law enforcement operations, done with police on the lead, include pursuit of NPA members who have just carried out an attack and arrest of rebels who have criminal cases, Burgos said.

Marissa Dumanjug-Palo, head of secretariat of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, the organization supervising the NPA and the Communist Party of the Philippines, said the NDF leadership has yet to issue a decision whether it will reciprocate the government ceasefire.

“An announcement may be made on December 17 or 18,” she said. (John Roson)

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