SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – A search and rescue operation (SAR) continues for the missing policeman on board the motorboat that capsized off the waters of Caluya, Antique while bringing relief goods for the town’s island barangay on Friday.
P/Cpl Mark Anthony Alejandro, subject of the SAR, was on board a different boat as part of the convoy of Caluya Mayor Regil Kent Lim to bring relief goods to the island barangay of Sibolo.
“Mayor Lim is safe because he was on board a different sea vessel,” said Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Antique Station Commander Perlita Cinco in an interview.
Also on board the boat that capsized around 8:30 a.m. due to rough seas were two personnel of the PCG and two police personnel. They came from the municipal hall situated at the mainland of Caluya.
“The two PCG personnel and two policemen were immediately rescued and are now safe, except the lone missing policeman,” she said.
The survivors are Petty Officer 3(PO3) Kim Dayalo and Seaman Second Class (SN2) Jerald Ligan of the PCG and Patrolman Allan Sabado and PSSG Albert Francisco of the Caluya Municipal Police Station.
Cinco said that despite the incident, Mayor Lim's group proceeded to bring relief goods to the residents of Sibolo.
Caluya remains under enhanced community quarantine after recording positive cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Meanwhile, Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Broderick Train said in a separate interview that the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) is now assisting six divers of the PCG in the SAR operation.
“It could be possible that the missing policeman was trapped on that boat,” he said.
He said that the boat is believed to have sunk to about 215 meters depth, hence the rescuers are having a hard time in their ongoing SAR operation. (PNA)