3 cops among Bukidnon’s dead in ‘Sendong’ flash flood

TAGUM CITY, Philippines – Not just one, but three policemen, two of them junior officers, were among those who died in the deadly flash floods that hit Bukidnon province as Tropical Storm Sendong (international codename: Washi) tore through Mindanao and the Visayas last Friday, a military official said.

Colonel Leopoldo Galon, spokesman of Eastern Mindanao Command based in Davao City, said close to a thousand people have already died in the flooding, with almost 600 bodies recovered in Cagayan de Oro city alone.

Galon identified the policeman-victims as Senior Inspector Arnold Bustarde, Inspector Charlito Penullar and Senior Police Officer 1 Charlon Edrote.

In a text message to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Galon said the victims were doing disaster response operations in Bukidnon when they were swept by floodwaters.

Arsenio Alagenio, provincial disaster risk reduction and management council chairman, in an earlier interview with the Inquirer said Penullar was leading a nine-man team of police disaster responders when carried away by floodwaters while crossing a river in Baungon town on Saturday.

About 25 bodies have been recovered in Baungon and Libona towns in Bukidnon as of Tuesday morning, Alagenio said, and that 91 others were still unaccounted for. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council placed the death toll in Bukidnon at 47.

Galon said one cop, Police Officer 2 Sandy Labadan, was among those missing in Bukidnon.