Man who lost foot in rescue won’t sue
Man who lost leg in rescue won’t file charges
HE WON’T file charges against the owner and crew of the motor banca that capsized last Friday night, even if the accident cost him his right foot.
Rudyard Payusan, 48, leaped from his cargo ship when he saw 27 people trying to stay afloat while holding on to a capsized motorbanca last Saturday morning. While he was trying to attach the boat to their ship, the rope he was holding caught his leg and severed it.
“Aksidente ra man ‘tong panghitabo-a, puros ra man ta nanginabuhi (It was an accident. Nobody wanted it to happen),” Payusan, chief mate of cargo ship LCT Crescent, told Sun.Star Cebu.
He said the same thing to two officials of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Central Visayas who paid him a visit in the hospital yesterday.
One of them gave him P2,000, he said. His company, Golden Bridge Shipping Inc., also gave him P5,000 through his chief engineer Andres Butaya.
A man who said he was sent by the management of the motor banca, Mb Mansan, also visited him and gave P3,000.
Hospital bills
Payusan, however, doesn’t know yet who how he could pay his hospital bills.
If he gets to talk to the owner of Mb Mansan, Payusan said he will knock at his “malumo nga kasingkasing nga tabangan lang unta ko sa akong panginahanglanon (kind heart for help).”
Payusan is planning to go back home in Naawan, Misamis Oriental five days from now and raise pigs, chickens and goats to earn for his family.
“Naingon ani na man gyud ko unya wala pa kahuman akong mga anak og eskuyla, mangita lang pod intawn tag kakuhaan og kita (Since this happened to me and my daughters are still in school, I have to find means of livelihood),” he said.
Payusan had two daughters studying education courses in college. He also has an 11-year-old daughter, now a fifth grader.
His wife, who is a domestic helper in Kuwait, learned of the incident through photos of Payusan being helped by rescuers that spread through Facebook.
He said his wife cried when they talked over the phone last Saturday night, while he told her to stay calm as he’s now safe.
Payusan underwent an operation and remains at St. Vincent General Hospital.
Three elderly women survived the incident paid him a visit yesterday morning to thank him.
“Nianhi sila nako, dako na kaayo nakong kalipay (I’m very happy that they dropped by),” he said.
He, however, hopes he could still continue working in a ship, if the company permits him even with his condition.
“Mas ganahan gyod ko mosakay og barko, mas makagaan sa akong pamati (Working in a ship makes me feel good),” he said.
He refused to be called a “hero” for what he did.
“Ang Ginoo maoy hero. Survivor ra ko (God is the true hero. I’m just a survivor),” he said.