Fishermen try rescuing another, end up needing help themselves

CEBU, Philippines - Rescuers managed to save seven fishermen who went missing after going out to sea to look for another fisherman who was earlier reported missing in the waters off Aloguinsan, Cebu Thursday.

The 63-year-old fisherman was found safe after spending an entire night at sea and surviving the ordeal by tying himself to an artificial fish attracting device.

Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office Information Officer Julius Regner identified the seven as Armilio Flores, 54; Julito Tioc, 40; Orencio Bartiquil, 53; Jay Alcos, 15; Raymundo Adan, 52; Rocky Hubatay, 20 and a certain Macoy, all of Poblacion, Aloguinsan.

Regner said that despite the huge waves, the seven fishermen left to supposedly rescue their neighbor Juanito Alcos but they all ended up needing rescue themselves.

Regner said Adelaide, Juanito’s wife received a text message from her husband at 2:17 p.m. last Thursday that his boat ran out of gasoline already.

Adelaida immediately reported Juanito’s plight to the Aloguinsan Police Station for help. The police then contacted the PDRRMO.

Regner said it was around 5:15 p.m. when their office received the call for help. He immediately reached their contacts in the towns of Aloguinsan, Asturias and Balamban to look for Juanito.

Unknown to the PDRRMO, the seven fishermen left Poblacion, Aloguinsan onboard two boats around 5 p.m. to look for Juanito themselves.

PDRRMO Chief Baltazar Tribunalo Jr. said the seven fishermen were declared missing since they could no longer be communicated with after leaving to search for Juanito

“They should have coordinated with the LGU (local government unit). They failed to heed the early warnings and understand the hazards,” he told The FREEMAN in a telephone interview.

The seven fishermen were rescued at around 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. also last Thursday in the waters off Aloguinsan.  Juanito, meanwhile, managed to tie himself to a gango, a locally-made fish attracting device, in a marine protected area at the boundary of Asturias and Balamban towns, where rescuers found him around 5 a.m. yesterday.

Tribunalo said all eight fishermen were found to be in good condition after being checked at an infirmary in Asturias town.

“Bilib ko ni Juanito kay naa gyud siyay skills. Nakatabang gyud pud ang marine protected area kay didto man siya nakahikot. Kung wala to, maanod gyud siya,” he said.

Elsewhere in Cebu, heavy rains last Thursday also caused landlsides in Barangays Manipis and Campo 4 in Talisay City, Bogo City, and the towns of Borbon and Balamban.

Regner also that though there were flooding in many parts of Cebu, no casualties were reported.

Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7, through Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Director Loreto Alburo issued threat advisories on communities situated near, within or along elevated areas and waterways and advised the people to take extra precaution.

He also advised local chief executives to monitor these areas.

Alburo reiterated the use of geohazard maps where flood and landslide-prone areas are marked. — Michael Vencynth H. Braga, Mylen P. Manto, Jessa J. Agua/RHM (FREEMAN)