Bad weather death toll rises to 12

MTSAT ENHANCED IR Satellite Image for 11:32 m.n., 14 June 2012

SARANGANI—Bad weather ahead of Tropical Storm “Butchoy” killed at least 12 people in this province and Palawan, which heavy rains, floods, landslides and storm surges battered starting on Sunday, according to authorities Thursday.

Benito Ramos, head of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), said more than 10,000 families had been displaced in five Mindanao provinces, including here.

Maj. Jacob Obligado, civil military officer of the 10th Infantry Division, said at least 276 fishermen had been rescued from turbulent seas as of yesterday.

In Sarangani alone, however, at least 61 people are missing, said Obligado. The mayor of Maasim town, Arturo Lawa, said 215 of the 276 rescued fishermen were from his town.

In El Nido, Palawan, the number of fatalities in the sinking of the ferry MV Joecill 2 has risen to seven as two more bodies were found.

Hero

One of the dead was identified as Juanito Tito, village councilor of Barangay New Guinlo in Taytay, Palawan, who was seen by survivors giving his life jacket to an elderly passenger of the boat before the boat sank.

Tito’s body was found floating with the boat’s wreck yesterday near Tent Island off El Nido.

Search continues

Maj. Neil Estrella, information chief of the Western Command (Wescom), said five more passengers were missing. A total of 56 passengers have been rescued and taken back to Taytay town, he said.

The vessel’s owner, Silverio Atienza of Silverio Shipping Lines, admitted in an interview with a radio station in Palawan that some of the passengers who rode the boat were not listed on the manifest.

Reports said the boat manifest only listed 34 passengers and 12 crew members.

“Either the crew allowed them as visitors or let them board the vessel for their monetary consideration,” Silverio said.

In Maasim, Sarangani, the town’s two patrol boats continued to scour the seas for missing fishermen. “Hopefully, more fishermen would be rescued,” said Mayor Lawa.

In Digos City in Davao del Sur, the search for seven fishermen who went missing on Tuesday has not been successful.

In Glan, Sarangani, Mayor Victor James Yap Sr. said the number of families displaced by floods went up to 700.

A state of calamity was declared in Glan on Wednesday. A state of calamity was also declared in Maasim yesterday.

Landslide victim

Among the dead in Mindanao was a girl who was buried in a landslide in Marilog District in Davao City on Monday.

Another victim was a mine worker, Ernesto Tereso, who drowned when floodwaters entered the tunnel he was working in in Bayugan, Agusan del Sur.

Sarangani officials said fishermen have not been sufficiently warned because they set out to sea before the weather turned bad. Aquiles Zonio, Jeoffrey Maitem, Germelina Lacorte, Charlie Señase, Orlando Dinoy and Karlos Manlupig, Inquirer Mindanao; and Redempto D. Anda, Inquirer Southern Luzon