Mayor, cops argue: Rescue or retrieval?

NATONIN, Mountain Province – Retrieval or rescue?

Authorities are singing different tunes at ground zero of the landslide here in Sitio Ha’rang, Barangay Banawel where eight bodies have been recovered, based on reports from the regional disaster office.

Mayor Mateo Chiyawan, who was at the site, said since day one of the operations, “it was more of a retrieval than rescue” of those who were buried inside a Department of

Public Works and Highways (DPWH) building at the height of Typhoon Rosita Tuesday afternoon. Chiyawan dismissed any sign of life under the rubble, noting the three buildings in the affected area “were erased.”

But the Cordillera police seemed more optimistic and disagreed with Chiyawan.

There is “no declaration yet on retrieval operations,” according to Supt. Pelita Tacio, spokesperson for the Cordillera police.

The efforts are “still search and rescue, and we still hope for the best, that missing persons are found alive, the least injured, the soonest,” Tacio said.

As this developed, the death toll in the region has risen to 18 as of yesterday afternoon – seven in Ifugao, one in Kalinga, 10 in Mountain Province, including those killed in the landslide here.

At 2 p.m. yesterday, the cadaver of John Focasan Tenmaccheg from Sitio Proper, Barangay Butac, was found in a stream in Barangay Bananao also in this province.

The victim was believed to have been swept away by rampaging waters of the river after the landslide Tuesday afternoon. He was identified by a relative through his cleft palate and scar on his forehead.

Twenty-one persons were reported missing – one in Abra and 20 in this province; 20 were injured – one in Benguet, five in Kalinga and 14 in this province. Fourteen were rescued in Natonin.

Since Typhoon Ompong hit the country in September, this province has been placed under state of calamity.

In Manila, Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista said his department is determined to deliver relief assistance to areas in Mountain Province, specifically the isolated Natonin and other areas.

“We are consistently coordinating with other (disaster response) cluster members for logistics support to deliver relief assistance to the area,” Bautista said.

President Duterte said he was satisfied with state agencies’ response to Typhoon Rosita but reminded them to continue working to restore normalcy in affected areas.

“Everybody is here. I think everybody is doing his duty. I’d like to thank you for that,” Duterte said during a situation briefing in Cauayan City, Isabela on Thursday.

Rep. Rodolfo Albano III of Isabela said they appreciate Duterte’s visit even on All Saints’ Day.

The President described as “impressive” the mitigating measures adopted by agencies and local governments before the onslaught of Rosita. But he admitted there is still a lot of work to do to repair the damaged road networks and to rescue the people trapped in the DPWH building that was buried by a landslide in Mountain Province.

“The damage has been very extensive, especially in the road network. There’s a lot to do there plus the missing persons, which is worrying us now,” he added.

Duterte also cited the need to attend to the needs of people whose houses were swept away by floods. He said a lot of motor vehicles were trapped because of the effects of the typhoon on roads.

“I hope they can (revert) towards... the proper municipal town where they can seek refuge for the meantime,” the President said.

“The most important thing really is return to normalcy. That would mean clearing of the roads... (and ensuring that people) are fed and given shelter outside the line of fire,” he added.

Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said the damaged roads may be repaired in three days.

Duterte ordered the agriculture department to address the concerns of fish cage owners who were affected by the typhoon. He said the labor department should extend assistance to the affected fishermen to make them productive “until such time they can stand up on their own.”

The President also cited the need to distribute hazard maps to vulnerable communities.

“I hope everybody would be supplied with that map. It becomes a critical instrument... it’s not about the actual event only, it’s the social cost after the rehabilitation, we would need more money and the displaced families would have to be resettled,” he said.