MANILA, Philippines - Rescuers retrieved the body of the last missing Filipino peacekeeper from underneath the collapsed United Nations headquarters in earthquake-stricken Haiti on Wednesday.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the remains of Air Force Sgt. Janice Arocena were retrieved nine days after a powerful earthquake flattened the Christopher Hotel, headquarters of the UN peacekeeping forces in the capital Port-au-Prince.
The retrieval of Arocena’s body raised the Philippines’ death toll in the earthquake from three to four.
Filipino troops along with UN peacekeeping forces in Haiti earlier retrieved the bodies of Data Processor-3 Pearly Panangui, Army Sgt. Eustacio Bermudez, and UN peacekeeper Jerome Yap.
Brawner said the remains of the three Filipino peacekeepers would be transferred to the UN Log Base in Port-au-Prince and to an airport in neighboring Dominican Republic for the flight home.
Brawner said Lt. Col. Lope Dagoy, the contingent commander of the 10th peacekeeping force, has made arrangements with the UN representative in Haiti to transport the remains of the three Filipino soldiers.
At the same time, Brawner relayed the message of condolence and sympathy of the AFP to the families of the three Filipino peacekeepers.
“On behalf of AFP chief Gen. Victor Ibrado and all the men and women of the AFP, we wish to convey our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families of the three soldiers who died with those who suffered the killer quake in Haiti,” Brawner said.
The three were among 500 Filipinos in Haiti, including 172 soldiers and police assigned with the UN peacekeeping force, when a massive quake hit the country on Jan. 12.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said two more Filipino workers in Haiti are still missing.
The DFA said rescuers are trying to locate Grace Fabian and Geraldine Lalican who were among the workers trapped in the collapsed Caribbean Supermarket in Port-au-Prince.
Reports from the task force in Haiti led by Philippine Ambassador to Havana Macarthur Corsino said 23 more had been rescued, bringing the number of Filipinos confirmed safe to 217.
The 23 Filipinos were identified as Arnel Alcayde, Gregorio Bacurin, Joel Bacurin, Teodora Batino, Rocelle Cruz, Anderwood Frias, Lorna Gonzalez, Arlene Gonzalo, Julio Gonzalo, Liezel Gonzalo, Glenn
Michael Imperial, Wandale Laquihon, Bobby Manalansang, Ruby Belle Manalansang, Rogelio Pareja Sr., Wilfredo Sagado, Ronaldo Sison, Allen Vincent Torrizo, Vicina Torrizo, Celerino Trinidad, Myla Trinidad, Odelon Trinidad and Magielyn Trinidad.
Of the 290 Filipino workers in Haiti, DFA Undersecretary Esteban Conejos said 68 of them wanted to return home to Manila.
Conejos said the DFA is coordinating with Labor Secretary Marianito Roque on how to facilitate the repatriation of the Filipino workers from Haiti.
According to Conejos, the DFA is considering taking the Filipinos from the airport in Port-au-Prince to the Dominican Republic.
From there, an airplane would take them home via the United States, Conejos said.
“But this will depend on OFWs who will firm up their decision if they want to be repatriated. If the Filipinos who will be repatriated reach 100 we are considering chartering an aircraft from Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) to Manila direct, no need to get them US visas,” he said.
On the other hand, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said a welfare team had been sent to provide assistance to the estimated 290 Filipino workers in Haiti.
OWWA chief Carmelita Dimzon said the team of welfare officers had been tasked to assist the Filipino workers in Haiti, mostly employed in middle and upper management positions in the garments, telecom and power generation sectors.
Dimzon announced that families of the workers in the earthquake-stricken country could communicate with their relatives through the OWWA operations center in Pasay City. With Pia Lee-Brago, Mayen Jaymalin, Nonong Baliao, AP