Soldier saves 20 before drowning in Laguna

MANILA, Philippines - A soldier saved 20 people from raging floodwaters during rescue operations but lost his own life when he drowned later in Famy town, Laguna.

Rescuers recovered yesterday the body of Army Private First Class Venancio Ancheta after he was swept away by rushing floodwaters while rescuing residents at the height of storm “Ondoy.”

Ancheta, member of the Alpha Company of the 16th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, was among six rescuers who died while helping flood victims in Laguna.

Troops also recovered the bodies of Army Cpl. Adriano Regua and Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit militiamen Joel Hernalin, Erineo Olaguer, Florencio Dequino, and Pedro Falcon in Barangay Nanguma in Mabitac town, Laguna.

Two more CAFGU militiamen were still missing as of press time.

“Ancheta was able to save 20 people from the raging floods before he was swept away,” said Lt. Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos, army spokesman.

Soldiers from the 16th Army Infantry Battalion and the 1st IB based in Cavinti, Laguna were also still looking for their missing colleagues.

Navy rescue teams

Yesterday, Philippine Navy teams also rescued hundreds of residents in various parts of Central Luzon.

The navy deployed rubber boats, six by six military trucks and personnel to flood-stricken areas in Pasig, Cainta and Marikina, all hardest hit by floods.

They rescued 17 from the rooftop of barangay hall, Montevista, Marikina City; five persons stranded at floodway Crispa, Pasig to Riverside Village, Cainta; 150 stranded in Navotas; 40 in Jose Abad Santos, Tondo; and 750 in España, Manila.

Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo, navy spokesman said rescue teams are now concentrating their efforts in villages in Cainta, Rizal, Pasig, and Marikina, especially Provident Village.

Also yesterday morning, a Navy Seal team and Marines rescued 120 residents of Provident Village, while another team rescued a 65-year-old woman from Barangay Tumana.

Rescue operations were ongoing, said Arevalo.

Arevalo reported that a naval detachment in Infanta, Quezon evacuated 43 personnel from Barangay Banglos to a center in Camp General Nakar, Quezon.

The Navy team also assisted the National Disaster Coordinating Council in distributing relief goods to victims of flash floods in Barangay Ilog, Infanta.

Two rescue teams from Naval Forces Northern Luzon were dispatched to Sta. Maria and Bustos towns in Bulacan, while four teams from the Naval Education and Training Command in San Antonio, Zambales were sent to flooded towns in the province.

Death toll

The death toll in widespread flooding in Central Luzon is expected to triple from the current official government count of 52 people.

More victims from the Army’s 16th Infantry Battalion dispatched to rescue residents at Sitio Johnson, Barangay Nanguma, Mabitic town, Laguna were also reported killed.

First Infantry Battalion spokesman Col. Bartolome Bacarro said the bodies of the victims were recovered before noon yesterday.

He declined to identify the soldiers and the militiamen pending notification of their families.

“They were on their way to conduct rescue operations when they were swept away by the overflowing river,” Bacarro said.

Laguna Gov. Ningning Lazaro ordered the cancellation of classes at all levels in the province due to widespread flooding.

The capital town of Sta. Cruz was still submerged in floodwaters yesterday.

In Batangas, Gov. Vilma Santos, who is in the United States, also ordered the suspension of all classes in her province as most low-lying areas were inundated by floodwaters.

A taho vendor was killed when he was crushed by fallen trees and another one missing were reported in Calaca, Batangas during the onslaught of Ondoy Saturday morning.

Calaca Mayor Nas Ona identified the victim as Rommel Morcia, a resident of Mataas na Bayan, Calaca, Batangas. The victim was taking shelter along the highway in Barangay Sinisian when a strong wind toppled trees that fell directly on him.

Still missing is Randy Violata, 18, of Barangay Banaga, Agoncillo.

Bebeth Vale, secretariat of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council said at least 2,006 families were affected in Balayan, Nasugbu, Lemery, Calaca, Taal, Tuy, Lian, Laurel, Balete, Talisay and Sto. Tomas.

National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) chair and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., supervising the entire search and rescue operations, has ordered the released of 1,800 sacks to be distributed to displaced residents in Laguna, Batangas, and Quezon. – James Managhaya, Jaime Laude, Arnell Ozaeta, Ed Amoroso