90% of infrastructure in Catanduanes damaged by ‘Rolly’ — PNP

PHOTO from Office of Senator Bong Go

MANILA, Philippines — Ninety percent of infrastructure in Catanduanes have been damaged by the previous super typhoon Rolly, the world’s strongest storm so far this year, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

PNP deputy chief for operations Lt. Gen. Cesar Hawthorne Binag revealed this information in a press briefing on Monday, citing information from Bicol Region police chief Brig. Gen. Bartolome Bustamante.

“Ang una nyang nireport na tiningnan muna namin ay ‘yung kung naestablish na lahat ng communication lines lalo na sa Catanduanes. Sa ngayon po na-establish na po natin doon at naireport niya po na 90 percent ng infrastructure ay damaged daw,” he said.

(He reported about the communication lines in Catanduanes. For now, it has been established and he reported that there is 90 percent damage in infrastructure.)

Binag, however, said this was only the assessment of the police.

He told INQUIRER.net in a text message that he was still trying to get information from Bustamante on the types of infrastructure that were damaged in the region.

According to Binag, 10 people have died in Bicol Region based on data from the regional police.

Four of the fatalities were from Catanduanes and the remaining six are from other areas in the Bicol Region, he added.

Binag said the police in the region are focused on four areas in the middle of response efforts on the effects of typhoon Rolly: search and rescue operations, security in evacuation centers, security in vacated areas to prevent looting, and regular law enforcement operations.

He added that PNP chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan is also set to travel to Bicol to assess the search and rescue operations being done by the police in support of regional and local disaster risk reduction and management councils.

Central Visayas police chief Brig. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro earlier said 100 police officers from Police Regional Office 7 are set to be deployed in Bicol Region “hopefully tomorrow” to augment the forces of Police Regional Office 5 and help in response efforts following the onslaught of the typhoon.

EDV