Gov’t in no rush to rescue animals in Taal

With the unpredictable state of Taal Volcano and the difficulty of getting large barges to access the lake surrounding it, government forces may take a longer time to rescue the animals that remain trapped on the Volcano Island, a military official said on Friday.

Brig. Gen. Marceliano Teofilo, commander of Joint Task Force (JTF) Taal, said the military had to make do with smaller boats to transport the animals from “Pulo,” amid a strong public clamor to save them from danger with the continued rumbling of Taal.

“We wish to assure the public that authorities are conducting rescue missions continuously, but its progress largely depends on the condition of the volcano,” he said in a radio interview.

According to Teofilo, an aerial reconnaissance mission launched by the JTF Taal on Thursday morning confirmed the presence of about a hundred farm animals on the island, mostly horses, cattle and carabaos.

The Task Force has been bombarded with calls from animal rights advocates and other concerned citizens to rescue the animals, as the volcano and its surrounding areas remained under alert level 4 for the sixth straight day on Friday.

Risks faced by government personnel have slowed down the ongoing rescue missions being waged by the Maritime Group of the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Coast Guard, Teofilo said.