AUTHORITIES have confirmed that no emergency responder from Davao City was killed or went missing during rescue operations at the height of the flooding brought by the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat), debunking false information that circulated widely on social media, even as one civilian was confirmed to have died in a flood-related incident.
The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) on Saturday clarified that a viral social media post claiming that a responder had gone missing during emergency operations on the evening of Friday, July 24 was false.
According to the DCPO, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) immediately conducted a verification of all responders using the official Incident Command Post personnel roster after the post gained traction online. The validation confirmed that every responder deployed during the emergency operations had been accounted for.
The police office likewise conducted a separate accounting of all Philippine National Police personnel deployed to flood response operations and confirmed that all police officers were safe and present.
“The validation confirmed that all responders were present and accounted for, prompting authorities to officially declare the circulating information as fake news,” the DCPO said, urging the public to rely only on official government advisories and refrain from sharing unverified reports that could create unnecessary panic during emergencies.
At around 3:05 a.m. on July 25, the CDRRMO declared the affected operational areas clear after water levels in the rivers gradually subsided. Responders assigned to the security clusters were subsequently ordered to disengage from their deployment sites and return to their respective offices.
The clarification came as widespread flooding affected several parts of Davao City and neighboring areas Friday night after persistent rains brought by the Southwest Monsoon caused rivers to swell rapidly.
Pagasa earlier issued rainfall advisories warning of moderate to occasionally heavy rains across Davao City, Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro, Davao Oriental, and nearby provinces, prompting flood monitoring and emergency response operations. Floodwaters inundated low-lying communities, particularly in Talomo and Tugbok districts, trapping residents inside their homes and prompting rescue teams from various government agencies to conduct overnight evacuation and retrieval operations.
Social media platforms were flooded with calls for rescue as water levels rose in several riverside communities. While no responder was harmed, the Office of Civil Defense-Davao Region (OCD-Davao) confirmed that one civilian lost his life during the flooding.
OCD-Davao Regional Director Ednar Dayanghirang, in an interview with dxDc RMN Davao, identified the victim as Rolando Moncada Jose, 54, who was reportedly riding his motorcycle when he fell into the swollen Luman Creek in Purok Tisa, Barangay Talandang, Tugbok District, at the height of Friday night's heavy rains.
Authorities said Jose's motorcycle was recovered shortly after the incident. However, his body was only found at around 9 a.m. on Saturday, approximately three kilometers downstream from where he was reportedly swept away by the strong current.
Following the retrieval operation, the victim's remains were turned over to the Los Amigos Police Station for documentation and further investigation.
Dayanghirang said the continuous rains caused significant rises in the water levels of both the Talomo and Matina rivers, prompting authorities to closely monitor flood-prone communities.
He urged residents, particularly those living near rivers and other low-lying areas, to remain vigilant, monitor weather advisories, and immediately comply with evacuation orders whenever necessary to prevent similar tragedies.
The flooding was triggered by intensified Southwest Monsoon rains, which also affected hundreds of families across parts of Davao City. According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Davao Region (DSWD-Davao), more than 200 families or over 900 individuals from three barangays, were affected by Habagat-related flooding across the city, with hundreds taking shelter in evacuation centers while relief operations continued. DEF
