Letter from Lt. Col. Lope C. Dagoy on Haiti

CEBU, Philippines - My apologies for this delay in giving you updates about what happened here in Haiti after it was struck by a 7.3 magnitude (Richter scale) quake on 12 Jan 2009 at about 1710H. Pandemonium, chaos, and complete isolation from the rest of the world suddenly reigned over this unfortunate country. Everything is practically down and anything seemed not possible: all commo system (tel lines, cp signals, and internet) were suddenly gone.

Most roads were blocked by debris of the fallen buildings and landslides. Falling houses were a natural sight. I came out of our own 3 story hqs (lucky enough it did not fall) still dizzy, only to see that the MINUSTAH Hqs (UN mission) fronting and overlooking from my hqs has already collapsed. I cannot move in utter disbelief considering the number of people who must have been trapped inside and must be under its rubles. The leadership of MINUSTAH including my people who were working inside the fallen bldg just came to my mind. 

I immediately gathered my men down at the unit parking lot in order to respond immediately hoping to rescue survivors. But we cannot move as tremors continue to occur every so often.

We immediately gathered those survivors who were lucky enough to come out of the bldg alive after the tragedy, but not without varying degrees of injuries, children and adults alike.       

We all gathered them into my unit mini gym which we immediately converted into an emergency treatment center. As these survivors were gathered for immediate treatment, the rest of the troops went on to search for possible survivors in the collapsed bldg unmindful of the risks they were taking, just hoping to rescue possible survivors on sight. 

It really took me sometime to establish communication with my higher hqs and my family, who I knew for certain were too worried of our situation and conditions. It was about 9pm that I chanced upon a UN staff member with a satellite phone and kindly asked him to possibly use it to contact my wife. It was the only number that I can remember having left my 2 cp in my office during the tragedy.  

Thru her I informed PKOC, GHQ about the tragedy and about our initial situation and promised to call them at the most opportune time.

The days that followed were a suffering of defeat and tragedy. I learned that 4 of my men and women were still missing, but fortunately 1 was eventually recovered, leaving the remaining 3 as the only missing contingent personnel up to this writing. 

Another Filipino UN staff, the admin asst of the PDSRSG (dep head of mission), who was also among the missing, remains missing. 

Meanwhile another three OFWs were also among the those who are buried under the rubbles of a 5-storey Caribbean supermarket some 6-8 kms away from my hqs. Fortunately, one of them was already rescued, leaving 2 more still unaccounted.

All in all, we have a total of 6 Filipinos still unaccounted for.

In light of these developments, I was informed by PMNY that the president has issued a guidance for me to look into the welfare of the OFWs here.

Updates:

Search and rescue efforts are works in progress in all these areas where our people (both UN pers and OFWs) are presently buried. In the former MINUSTAH building, the SRSG (head of mission) and PDSRG were already retrieved along some 18 others, many of whom were Chinese, and all dead, as of this writing. The Filipino assistant of

PDSRSG is not among those retrieved. The Chinese rescue team initially took charge of the rescue and recovery efforts in MINUSTAH.

It’s now the US rescue team that has taken charge of the rescue operations here.

There still a glimmer of hope for our people as a proof of life was discovered by the new rescue team. They heard a voice coming from under the rubbles. I talked to the head of the team and promised me that we will see the difference in the way they will handle the operation. 

    Meanwhile at the Caribbean market, at first I was worried because it being a non-UN entity, it is not yet the priority for the rescue operations of the UN. I have to find means that a rescue effort must be done in that fallen building. The first move that I could do was to send a security team there, not to do rescue operations bec we do not have the necessary tools and equipment, but to secure the place from possible mob and looting since it is a supermarket. When that happens that will bring more chaos in the fallen area and rescue operations won’t be possible. 

Perhaps, I was fortunate that the US mil attache here in Haiti is a good friend as he is often here in my camp for lunch or just for mere visit. BTW, we have a very strong bond with the Americans here than the other nationals here in the UN. I asked him if he can provide a rescue team and dedicate their rescue efforts in that area, and without any iota of hesitation, he promised to immediately send one team (that was around 10pm when I asked him and believe me, the team arrived there around 11pm). I passed by the said area where a number of our OFWs were still there holding a vigil along with my troops to visit and see their conditions. I was surprised to see that the US rescue team was already there and doing their initial activities.

I immediately talked to their leader and thank him for their help. In turn he promised that they will work till the end and told me that another 30+ rescuers are coming to help them. I did not leave the place till I see these additional rescuers arriving in the place.

And indeed they arrived with all their equipment at past 12 mid. the expression of hope in our faces, especially the OFWs, who were there simply couldn’t escape me. I left the place at past 1am and headed back to my hqs as I need to take a needed rest. Sleep has become a scarcity following the deadly quake last Tue. 

Ambassador MacArthur Corsino of Cuba, Haiti, Dom Rep, and Jamaica, who is based in Cuba and a fraternal brother, emailed me to inform that he is coming on Monday to oversee the needs and concerns of the OFWs. We will be supporting him in these endeavors as everything here is very difficult. Communication, mobility and accommodation (billeting) remain a problem. But with a collective Filipino spirit present in us, we will be able to wade through these difficulties.

Lastly, pray for your soldiers, policemen, and OFWs here. Rest assured, you have very good soldiers here willing to do anything beyond the call of their duties.

Will provide you updates as soon as I can.

Best regards...

Lcd (Lt. Col. Lope C. Dagoy)