TACLOBAN CITY – Rescue operations on the four missing persons on the sea tragedy in San Ricardo, Southern Leyte continue where 16 died on the incident last Sunday morning.
It was also learned from Adriano Fuego, regional chief of the Office of Civil defense, the Coral Cay British Drivers’ Foundation also joined in the rescue efforts now being conducted by different groups like the Philippine Navy and those commissioned by the provincial government.
Still missing were identified as Benjie Vestal, 34 and daughter Rea Patricia, 4: Jeros Galabo, 7 and Jenny Abuelo, 9, all were residents of Brgy. Santiago, a neighboring barangay of Inulinan where majority of the close to 200 passengers of the ill-fated M/L Junjay resides.
Last Sunday at 10:10 am the motorboat, owned by the town vice mayor Fiel Culpa, capsized while it was about to return to dock at the town pier. Reports had said that the boat tilted when a commotion among the close to 200 passengers occurred.
The angle on overloading of the motorboat, said to have only a capacity, of 100 passengers, is being considered as the possible reason why it capsized 500 meters off the waters of San Ricardo.
Sixteen persons, 14 of them children, were drowned. About 184 other passengers survived the incident, the worst sea incident in the region since 2003 when 11 passengers bound for Maripipi Island, Biliran province were killed.
The barangay of Inulinan, where majority of the over to 200 passengers reside, was having their fiesta at that time with Senior Santo Niňo as patron saint. All activities related to the fiesta celebration were immediately cancelled after the incident.
Bonifacio de Guzman, municipal health officer of San Ricardo, told Leyte Samar daily Express that the search rescue operation is still on-going.
He also said that an information desk at the municipal hall was put up since yesterday morning by the local government for early facilitation of information related to the incident. De Guzman, together with municipal social development officer Jojie Bonita, man the information desk.
“We are really sad because the incident came as we are about to celebrate our fiesta,” de Guzman told Express.
Dr. Cornelio Solis, municipal health officer of Pintuyan, where the victims were brought, said that five children are still confined at the district hospital. These were Jeric Cadenas, 4; Lovely Cahan, 8; Anthony Cortina, 2, Rhon Angel Buba, 2 and April Mercado, 10.
Solis, however, said that the children are now of of danger.
Meantime, Adriano Fuego, OCD-8 chief, said that Plan Philippines, a non-government organization, would provide coffins to those who died in the tragedy.
Adrian Fuego, OCD-8 chief, said that Plan Philippines lead by Rodel Bontuyan, informed him of their intention to donate free coffins to victims as financial donations are also to be given to the families of the victims.
De Guzman told Express that they welcome the donations to be extended by the Plan Philippines. Reached from hi mobile phone, the San Ricardo municipal health officer said that lack of coffins, among others, is one of the problems they are facing right now.
But as Express made the phone interview with de Guzman yesterday morning, he said that they have yet to receive the promised donations from Plan Philippines.
