4 more bodies found in landslide site

KANANGA, Leyte, Philippines – The bodies of four laborers were dug up yesterday morning at the landslide site in Energy Development Corp.’s Upper Mahiao geothermal plant here, leaving only two more workers missing.

The identities of the four victims though could not be established as their bodies were decomposing. 

A landslide hit the EDC site last March 1, with five workers confirmed dead and nine others missing. They were among 45 laborers of JA Construction, a subcontractor of First Balfour, who were doing civil works to fortify the place against landslides when the tragedy happened.

The bodies of three other workers, identified as Marlon Buanghog, Uldarico Taburanza and Abelardo Permangil, were recovered last Sunday and Monday.

The retrieval operation got stalled as EDC made sure that the site was safe for the recovery of more bodies.

EDC and First Balfour officials are hoping that the bodies of the two remaining missing workers would be found to put a closure to the incident.

First Balfour senior vice president Alberto Ignacio Jr. told reporters that they have taken care of the victims’ families and shouldered the hospital bills of those injured.

Leyte Gov. Ma. Mimietta Bagulaya visited the site last Tuesday morning and met with the victims’ families.

“We are here to find out what really happened but what is really important here is to help the victims and their families and to ease their suffering,” she said.

Bagulaya met with EDC president Richard Tantoco and other officials of the Lopez-led geothermal firm and asked for a briefing.

Meanwhile, EDC allayed fears that boron, a toxic chemical, had leaked from the geothermal pipeline to the river.

“There was no contamination as the steam supply pipe was shut down right after the incident,” EDC executive vice president Ernesto Pantangco said in a text message.

Pantangco clarified that boron is not used in the pipeline’s operation but is “part of heavy metals in saturated steam.” – With Neil Jerome Morales