ARAYAT -- The Municipal Government here clarified Monday that only 12 people died during Saturday's mudslide in Barangay San Juan Baño here, saying the two other individuals reported to have died “are just missing.”

Mayor Luis “Chito” Espino in a phone interview with Sun.Star said that members of the Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council, Philippine Army, and Philippine National Police have already recovered the bodies of the 12 casualties.

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He said two other individuals were missing.

"According to my secretary, two people who visited the place (San Juan Baño) are missing since Sunday that's why we are still acquiring information if there are still bodies that have not been recovered from the mudslide," Espino said.

The mayor said his office was still confirming the identities of the two reported missing persons, adding that he has tasked the local police to verify the reports.

Espino also thanked his fellow mayors led by Pampanga Mayors League (PML) President Dennis Pineda for assisting some 2,000 evacuees who were brought to various schools that now serve as evacuation centers.

The mayor lauded the efforts of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, 3rd District Representative Dong Gonzales and former Board Member Lilia Pineda for providing food, relief goods and other forms of assistance to his constituents affected by the mudslide.

As of Monday, officials of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Philippine Tourism Authority led by General Mnanager Mark Lapid and his chief of staff ConCon Laus, the local governments of Angeles City and City of San Fernando also distributed relief goods and other forms of assistance to the mudslide victims.