Missing Fishermen in Caraga Region Now Rises to 10; Total of 5 Fishing Boats Capsized

Camp Rafael Rodriguez, Libertad, BUTUAN CITY- A total of ten fishermen which includes a father and son were sill missing as of press time with a total of five fishing boats capsized at the height of typhoon “Frank” over the weekend, reports gathered by Caraga Police Regional Office here from different police stations in the region.

The official report said strong winds brought about by the typhoon caused huge waves that battered vessels plying troubled seawaters off Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur but Office of the Civil Defense here reported no damages on private and public infrastructures including agricultural crops and live stocks so far.

Caraga Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Jaime Elorita MIlla who is also the current Regional Disaster Coordinating Council Chair issued directive to all police personnel in the areas affected to conduct search and rescue operations for the missing fishermen by coordinating with the Philippine Coast Guard.

But OIC Station Commander Jeoffrey Gardiano of the Philippine Coast Guard Northern Mindanao District Office based in Cagayan de Oro City by which Caraga Region areas were under their areas of responsibilities said their Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur offices have never informed them yet about sea mishap incidents so far as of press time.

“We have not received any information from our offices in Surigao and our District Office station commander Eduardo Gongona is now in Manila ” OIC District Commander Jeoffrey Gardiano said in a mobile phone interview.

Earlier relatives of fishermen who remained missing until this press time have blamed Coast Guard for not informing them about the typhoon and their safety.

Philippine Coast Guard acting station commander Felipe Rodine Legaspi of Butuan City Coast Guard Station told this writer in an interview that they cannot monitor activities of local fishermen if “they will not coordinate with us”.

Legaspi however admitted lack of monitoring system mechanism when asked if local fisher folks knew their contact numbers and how to contact the Coast Guard offices.

Meanwhile, Caraga Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Jaime Elorita Milla identified the three other missing fishermen as Cesar Ravelo and son, Charlito Ravelo who have been missing since June 19 and certain Nilo Polong Castillo who was also missing since June 19. Castillo was fishing off coast Pliar town in Surigao del Norte.

Relatives of the fishermen who reported the incident to PIlar Police Station afternoon of June 19, 2008 said the father and son tandem, Cesar and Charlito Ravelo were on board their motorized fishing boat also on sea waters of Pilar, Surigao del Norte

The three were seen again and still missing as of press time.

At least seven fishermen were still missing in separate incidents while a total of twenty seven were rescued when three fishing vessels were capsized by huge waves due strong winds brought by typhoon “Frank” in three different incidents off coastal waters of Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur Friday and Saturday, police reports said.

Police said that at about 10:00 Friday a fishing boat TRINA owned by Albert Paronda manned by seventeen (17) crew capsized at the seawaters of Sitio Nagubat, Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte

Luckily, all seventeen (17) crew members were rescued in three (3) separate places far apart from one another, in Barangay Talavera, Taganaan, Surigao del Norte were six survivors were rescued, seven survivors were rescued off Hinatuan Island also in Taganaan town, while the other four were rescued ay Brgy Capandan of same coastal Municipality of Taganaan

All survivors are residents of Placer, Surigao del Norte and were later dentified as Allan U Lingo, 34, married, Cito M Tesado, 41,Bibniano T Trabahalis, 29, married, Rito R Lingo, 33, married, Danny J Jugarap, 19, single, Rolito R Pineda, 42, married, Daniel J Vernales, 27, married, Teofilo B Mansueto, 33, married, Bobong U Unido, 36, single , Roger M Bonghanoy, 30 YO, married, Gabriel T Farol, 21, single, Ramil A Rabiano, 27,Joel S Bautista, 2), married, Ricky D Atsas, 25, married, Jeffrey M Pahis, 28, single, Jovel O Cayumo, 24, single, and Samuel I Cuyam, 35, married

Meanwhile at early dawn of July 21, about 1 a.m., two fishing vessels, M/V MEME II owned by certain Jose Ang of San Jose, Buyho, Surigao City manned by eighteen (18) crew/fishermen and M/V BALLJACK TRICKS owned by certain DODONG BERING of Lakandula, Placer, Surigao del Norte manned by at least eleven (11) fishermen capsized at the territorial waters of General Luna, Surigao del Norte due to strong winds caused by typhoon “Frank”.

All eleven crew/fishermen of M/V Ball Jack Tricks survived in the sinking of the vessel while seven crew members/fishermen of M/V MEME II were still missing until this pres time.

The missing crewmembers of MV MEME II were identified as Johnrey Asan, 27, Damian Usayan, 51,married, Wendleberto Asan, Rejay Itac, 35, Alan Asan, 35, Jun Zaide, 34 and George Ubay, 20, single.

The victims were residents of Sabang, Surigao City , police reports said.

Meanwhile, eleven survivors crew members of the M/V MEME II rescued by MGTR fishing boat were brought to the nearest port in the Port of the Municipality of Cagwait , Surigao del Sur at about 1O:OO AM, June 21, 2008 Saturday.

The survivors underwent medical examinations by Dr Sherwen Mantilla the municipal Health Officer of the Municipality of Cagwait .