Tuesday, September 23, 2008 Give total count of missing persons, determine supplies: DVI asks NDCC
“UPSET and exasperated,” the International Police (Interpol) officials are reminding the concerned government agencies to come up with a list of the missing victims of the typhoon Frank.
Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama said the Interpol and the rest of the disaster victim identification (DVI) team have been asking for the list since they began operating in Cebu in late June.
Equipment
Yesterday, Rama finally received a check from Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro amounting to P959,222, which represents the National Government’s fund support for the purchase of the equipment and supplies needed at the forensic site.
But because the check is paid to the Cebu City Government, Rama and City Hall department heads are still looking for a way how the City can disburse the funds without violating Commission on Audit rules.
While the City and the DVI team were happy to get the check, other pressing needs of the Interpol have to be addressed, said Rama.
He told a news conference yesterday afternoon that the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) need to reconcile its records on the number of missing persons.
Without the list, Rama said the DVI team composed of the Interpol and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) could not prepare fully their activities and job scope.
Quantity
They also cannot determine their length of stay in Cebu and prepare the quantity of supplies needed.
“NDCC, RDCC, OCD and even the Coast Guard should be serious about our request because the Interpol is exasperated already after months of waiting,” Rama said.
“For me, it’s too irritating when we are doing our job with exigency and they (agencies) are not taking us seriously. It does not speak well of us. It reflects badly how we gather our records in a situation and problem of this magnitude,” Rama said.
Based on the list provided by the NDCC, the Interpol had expected to identify some 1,300 bodies of victims who have been missing after typhoon Frank hit the country last June 21.
But according to the RDCC, there are 1,600 missing persons, excluding the 800 victims of the sinking of the mv Princess of the Stars.
The vice mayor said it does not seem right that the Interpol and the rest of the DVI team have done their job religiously and efficiently, and government agencies here are not taking their tasks seriously.
“If we don’t do it properly with Interpol, it will leave a bad taste in their mouth in terms of data gathering. It would look like we have not been serious with our obligation,” said Rama.
“They have been following up with us on the names and the list and until now we don’t have it, exasperated na sila, they are upset already. They are not getting something commensurate to what they are doing,” Rama added. (LCR)
