CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines — The body of one of the four employees buried in the trash avalanche in Rizal landfill was recovered under tons of garbage past noon on Wednesday.
The body of backhoe operator Gary Balahibo was recovered around 1:45 p.m., according to Vicente Tomazar, director of the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
Earlier around 11:30 a.m., the authorities also recovered the company’s backhoe that Balahibo was operating as he and the others were clearing a canal at the Rizal Provincial Sanitary Landfill. The equipment was buried with him when the trash avalanche occurred last Friday.
The search continued for three other victims, Pablito Esto, Eddie Malano, and Rovidico Olod, all maintenance personnel of the landfill operator, International Swims Corp.