ANTIQUE – Three individuals were confirmed dead and seven remained missing after two motorbancas capsized off Caluya Island here around 3 a.m. on Monday, August 26.
The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) Region 6 identified the fatalities as Christopher Gajero and Marlon Belleca, both from Bicol; and Mark Dellero of Camarines Sur. They were all onboard MB URE MEA. Their bodies were recovered from the waters off Romblon.
The seven missing passengers of MB URE MEA are the following:
* Vic Florencio of Bicol
* Roel Dellero of Bicol
* Joseph Dellero of Bicol
* Frankie Gajero of Bicol
* Sauro Dellero of Bicol
* Zaldy Pases of Bicol
* Christian Aguilar of Taguig City
The OCD-6 added that four other individuals onboard the said motorbanca were rescued: Arnold Tereliyas of Silang, Cavite; boat captain Jonald Patricio of Caluya; Garry Patricio of Caluya; and Arnel Belleca of Bankal, Davao City.
Meanwhile, all six onboard the other motorbanca, including boat captain Alvin Salodes, 30, of Barangay Poblacion, Caluya, were safe and unharmed: Rhea de Vera of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro; Jarenz Bernal of Caluya; Joseph Tereliyos of Silang, Cavite; Frederick Lompero of Libmanan, Bicol; and Luisa Ojana of Caluya.
According to the OCD-6, the two motorbancas carrying a total of 20 individuals departed from Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan going to Caluya Island.
The boats were expected to arrive in Caluya Island at around 6 a.m. on the same day but failed to arrive at their destination.
Based on the report of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) – Caluya, the smaller motorbanca operated by Salodes was the first to capsize. MB URE MEA attempted to assist but also capsized in the process.
Initial investigation of the PCG-Caluya also showed that the two motorbancas in question intentionally evaded coast guard inspection and clearance.
Allegedly, they were not authorized to carry passengers and departed from a remote area in Boracay, specifically Angol Point in Barangay Manoc-Manoc, Malay, at dawn to avoid detection by patrolling law enforcement officers.
It added that the passengers onboard were employees of Equator Construction Company based in Caluya, who had taken a short break in Boracay during the long weekend.
As of this writing, aerial search and rescue operations of the PCG-Caluya, Caluya Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Philippine Air Force, and Philippine Army were ongoing to locate the missing individuals./PN
