Body in trash avalanche recovered; 3 still missing

The body of one of the four workers buried in the trash avalanche at a landfill in Rodriguez, Rizal province was discovered  under tons of garbage past noon on Wednesday.

Gary Balahibo’s body 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.

Balahibo was a backhoe operator.

Earlier, authorities also recovered the backhoe 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 continues for three other workers, Pablito Esto, Eddie Malano and Rovidico Olod, all maintenance personnel of International Swims Corp., operator of the the landfill. Maricar Cinco, Inquirer Southern Luzon