BY JEN BAYLON
ILOILO – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is continuing its search and rescue operation for a man who jumped overboard from a cargo-passenger vessel near Calatagan, Batangas.
The missing passenger has been identified as 26-year-old Ralph Bernard Gerona of Iloilo City. He was last seen wearing a black shirt onboard the MV Maligaya, en route from Manila to Bacolod City.
According to a report from the Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog, the incident occurred around 3:50 p.m. on Oct. 31.
Captain Jerome Jeciel, the commander of Coast Guard Station Batangas, reported that the victim was dealing with mental health issues, a fact confirmed by a family member who was also onboard.
An initial investigation revealed that the family did not provide relevant medical information about Gerona during check-in and boarding, and he had no companion at the time of the incident.
Jerry F. Elico, the Master of the MV Maligaya, stated in a sworn affidavit that approximately 3.21 miles west of Calatagan, Batangas, a passenger was observed on the vessel’s closed-circuit television camera jumping from the top of the blower room on the starboard side of the ship. This observation was made by the 2nd Engineer of the vessel.
The PCG promptly alerted the Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) in Corregidor and launched a coordinated operation with the Coast Guard Sub Station (CGSS) Calatagan, VTMS Batangas, Sea Marshall personnel onboard the vessel, CGSS Lubang, and other nearby sea vessels.
The search operation was temporarily halted at 6:20 p.m. on Oct. 31 due to poor visibility but resumed the following Wednesday.
In light of this incident, authorities are reminding individuals facing mental health challenges to seek proper support and assistance. They also urge the public to stay vigilant and report any similar incidents to the appropriate authorities. (With additional details from the Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog)/PN