BY ADRIAN STEWART CO and RUBY SILUBRICO
ILOILO City – President Rodrigo Duterte will be in Guimaras today to personally condole with the families of those who died in the capsizing of three motorboats in the Iloilo Strait on Saturday.
According to Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, “The Palace expresses its sincerest condolences to the families, relatives and friends of the people who died at sea.”
The death toll rose to 31 yesterday with the retrieval of two more bodies in the morning and another one in the afternoon in the waters of Dumangas, Iloilo. Most of them were residents of Guimaras.
Asked if the President was upset over the incident, Panelo did not respond but pointed to the Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) explanation that no protocols were violated when the motorboats were allowed to sail.
“I heard the explanation of the coastguard in an interview. They said they did not violate any protocol because it was only storm signal No. 1, they can sail,” Panelo said, referring to tropical storm Hanna barreling towards northern Luzon.
Iloilo and Guimaras were not under any storm signal on Saturday. What hit the motorboats was a squall or a sudden gust of violent wind and rain.
“Perhaps even if it’s just signal No. 1, boats should not be allowed to go,” said Panelo yesterday.
He previously said whoever was responsible for securing the people during storms “should exercise more prudence, caution, and should give the people more guidelines relative to facing this kind of disasters.”
As of this writing, only one of the three bodies recovered yesterday was identified – 14-year-old Jhaeron Mars Salanatin of Barangay Airport , Mandurriao, Iloilo City.
Past noon on Saturday, M/B Chi Chi and M/B Keshia, both bound for Guimaras from Iloilo City, were hit by a squall or a sudden gust of violent winds and rain. They capsized.
At around 4 p.m. Iloilo City-bound M/B Jenny Vince from Guimaras was hit by another squall and also capsized.
The three boats had a total of 86 passengers but only 75 were recorded in their manifestos.
The Iloilo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office identified the other casualties: Jhinny Condestable of Jordan, Guimaras; Claire Faith Sigua of Nueva Valencia, Guimaras; Reycille Sol Therese Fenis of Jordan, Guimaras; Bernando Janson of Buenavista, Guimaras; Jared Janson of Buenavista, Guimaras; Cynthia Elisario of Jordan, Guimaras; Lourdes Gasangan of Nueva Valencia, Guimaras; Elezar Galoter of Guimaras; Angelita Basco of Jordan, Guimaras; Nena Gardoce of Buenavista, Guimaras; Rose Telis of Nueva Valencia, Guimaras; Adora Java of Mandurriao, Iloilo City; Jen Lloyd Salanatin of Mandurriao, Iloilo City; Jhairuz James Alejado of Mandurriao, Iloilo City; Angelina Baguio of Cebu; Jay Arvien Baguio of Cebu; Danilyn Baguio of Cebu; Romeo Baguio Sr. of Cebu; Lyn-Lyn Janolino, Ma. Zeny Anilao, Maria Emilie Legarda and Ivy Grace Labordo, all of Lambunao, Iloilo; George Buenavista of Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo; Eden Perales of Palawan; Jaquelyn Alferez of Malabon, Manila; Lemmy Rombla and Andrew Valenzuela.
Still unaccounted as of this writing were Romnel Baguio Jr. of Cebu, Danelle Baguio of Cebu and Maria Granado./PN
