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Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Zambo Sur remaining landslide victims feared dead
By Al Jacinto
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Hope that more survivors would be found is fading, as rescuers on Tuesday hopelessly searched for bodies buried under mud and boulders on a hinterland village in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, officials said.
The village called Depore in Bayog town, about 170 kilometers east of here, was hit by mudslide -- triggered by days of heavy rains -- late Saturday and so far only four bodies had been recovered. Earlier reports claimed that five corpses had been found, officials said.
Major Gamal Hayudini, spokesman for the Southern Command, said as many as 10 people were buried alive, and that a survivor was rescued over the weekend.
Dozens of soldiers and government militiamen assigned to secure the exploration of mining firm TVI Resources Development Philippines continue to search for those missing, who are feared dead.
"We are praying to find more victims, but they all could be dead by now, it's been three days and hope in finding them alive is fading away," Hayudini said.
Rocky Dimaculangan, the mining firm's public affairs director, said four of those killed -- Marilyn Jimenez, 32; Julaima Carillo, 4; Richard Somondong, 30; and Dodong Ramones, 32 -- were part of some 3,000 alleged illegal small-scale miners and their families in the area.
"Our security unit and personnel are helping in the search and rescue operation, and so far only four bodies and one survivor had been recovered from the mudslide," Dimaculangan said.
He said the company has extended financial aid for medical treatment of lone survivor Merlyn Intag, who sustained a broken leg, and that his group was coordinating with the Philippine National Disaster Coordinating Council to seek further assistance for the victims' relatives.
Dimaculangan, quoting fresh reports, said the landslide area used to be a natural canal on the northeast portion of the Balabag mountain ridge that small-scale miners filled and leveled with soil and rocks.
"It was here where the miners built their houses and milling facilities, including those that were either buried or destroyed by the landslide," he said.
He said that prior to the tragedy, illegal miners had put up at least 16 carbon-in-pulp plants, 25 leach tanks, and 28 rod mills with about 180 drums in the area.
TVIRD, an affiliate of Calgary-based TVI Pacific Inc., is conducting exploration since last year in the town's hinterlands. The exploration includes non-invasive activities like sampling and geological mapping of the area, Dimaculangan said.
The Balabag property is held under an agreement between TVIRD and Zamboanga Minerals Corporation (ZMC). It grants TVIRD an exclusive period of two years and nine months to assess ZMC's Mineral Production Sharing Agreement with the Philippine government.
The latest tragedy coincided with government efforts to rescue an estimated 1,800 people also buried in landslide in the farming village of Guinsaugon in St. Bernard town in the central province of Leyte.
Rescuers have been searching in vain for more survivors since Friday's landslide unloosened tons of earth that almost covered the entire village with mud of up to 30 feet, including a school where some 200 people were believed trapped. (Sun.Star Zamboanga/Sunnex)
(February 22, 2006 issue)
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