Body of 5th Maguindanao boat collision victim found

COTABATO CITY – Local government workers fished out Monday afternoon the body of the fifth victim who drowned after a recent collision of two motorized boats along Rio Grande de Mindanao in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.

Sultan Kudarat town administrator Banjo Mampon said the remains of Pudi Guiadel were recovered at past noon near the mouth of the Rio Grande, the largest river in Mindanao, leading to the Moro Gulf.

Guiadel was the operator of a passenger boat with 10 people heading home to Barangay Katidtuan, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao when it was slammed by a smaller motorboat at 8:45 p.m. on Saturday.

Both vessels capsized and four of the passengers, identified as Ustadz Elmie Norodin, Sidik Esmael, and college students Jomar Akir and Jowaina Saling drowned following the impact.

Mampon said both vessels had no lighting facilities that would have made them visible to other vessels at night.

Meanwhile, Sultan Kudarat Mayor Shameen Mastura has called for a meeting of about 200 motorboat operators and owners to remind them of a local ordinance prohibiting operations after 7 p.m. “for security and safety reasons”.

Mastura said motorized bancas operating as passenger vessels must have life jackets, lighting facilities and all passengers must be registered.

Mastura added that the operation of motorized bancas in Sultan Kudarat should be limited from 5 a.m. until 7 p.m. only.

“No passenger motorboats must traverse the river to and from Sultan Kudarat after 7 p.m. except when emergency and with proper authorization from police and military,” Mastura told reporters.

Mastura said he created a multi-sectoral task force dubbed as “Bantay Pulangi” to monitor all motorized bancas traversing the Rio Grande and other tributaries.