4 Missing Fishermen Saved, 19 Remain Missing in the Bicol's High Seas

PILI, CamSur Jan 08 2011–  Government rescue teams found four fishermen in a seaside village in Quezon Province, a police report said.

 Senior Superintendent Ericson Velasquez, Quezon Provincial Director said that the four survivors were among the seven crew members of a fishing boat who ventured off the high seas from their hometown in Mercedez, Camarines Norte about two days ago.

 Velasquez identified the rescued fishermen as Renato Royo Del Rosario, 46 y/o; Ronaldo Obligasyon Riscal, 32 y/o; Jefferson Ramos Montes, 23 y/o, and Aldrin Estevez Rin, 31 y/o, all from Mambungalon village of Mercedes town.

 The four were not among the 10 fishermen from the same town who were reported as missing since yesterday, January 17.

 In their joint statement, the four survivors revealed that they were fishing near Balisin island off Sta Elena town in Camarines Norte when the strong waves swept their fishing boat away from their fishing grounds.

 They said that their boat capsized and three of their companions identified as Nestor Banzuelo,55, a certain Bonoy 40; and Tatang,60,  have remained missing.

 Governor Edgar Tallado of Camarines Norte has immediately dispatched an ambulance to fetch the survivors from Perez town at around 10:30am today.

 Combined rescue teams of the AFP are now combing the high seas and the seashores employing soldiers and CAFGU personnel to locate the remaining 19 fishermen.

 Catanduanes province has declared 4 missing persons while 15 people were reported missing from Mercedes town in Camarines Norte.

 Meanwhile, Major General Ruperto Pabustan, Commander of the 9th Infantry Division has urged the local officials to organize the fishermen in their villages to easily monitor their activities especially during typhoons.

He made the statement following the conflicting reports regarding the actual tally of the missing fishermen. Some of the fishermen’s relatives refused to declare that some relatives are missing.

 “The village chiefs and other local chief executives can help this situation by listing all fishing boats and crew members and monitoring them on a daily basis. By doing this, search and rescue efforts by our disaster response teams will be much easier,” said Pabustan.