Search ends with one still missing in Kalinga landslide
TABUK CITY, KALINGA—The 20-day rescue and retrieval operations for four men buried in a landslide at the height of Supertyphoon “Uwan” (international name: Fung-wong) in Western Uma, Lubuagan, Kalinga, on Nov. 10 officially ended on Sunday, with one still missing.
Lubuagan Mayor Joel Tagaotao said the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council decided to dissolve the team and terminate the incident command post, with one of four buried men still unaccounted for, according to the Lubuagan Municipal Information Office (MIO) on Sunday.
The family of missing Redento Tinio, 61, and a village councilor of Western Uma, has agreed to the dissolution of the search, the MIO said.
The mayor, however, said they would still welcome search teams in the future, provided that they would inform the local government, police and village officials for monitoring, security and safety.
Buried shelter
A memorial tomb marker was erected at the landslide area as a tribute to Tinio, an accredited tour guide, with his kin’s approval.
“The marker symbolizes his dedication to his duty, heroism and honor as member of the Barangay Western Uma—Local Government Unit,” the Lubuagan town government said.
Tinio and his three companions—Rix, Ricardo and Aquino, all surnamed Magwin—were having a tourism surveillance at the village when they decided to set up camp due to Uwan’s heavy rains and winds on Nov. 10.
However, a landslide buried them and their camp. The bodies of Ricardo, Aquino and Rix were unearthed within the day and turned over to their families.
The four buried men were among the 10 people who stayed at the camp. The six others were reported to have left early due to the bad weather.
