MANILA – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Tuesday said it has deployed teams to help in the search and rescue of 14 Filipinos who went missing after their local fishing vessel collided with a Hong Kong-flagged cargo vessel off the coast of Occidental Mindoro.
In a statement, the BFAR said it deployed the Fisheries Resource Protection Groups (FRPG) of Sablayan and Lubang, Occidental Mindoro stations to the site of the incident to assist the search led by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the local government unit (LGU) of Paluan, Occidental Mindoro.
The BFAR, in coordination with the PCG, has identified the missing fishing crew and passengers as the following:
1. Jose Magnes E. Alfonso (Captain)
2. Renante H. Dahon (Chief Mate)
3. Reynil V. Magura (Chief Engineer)
4. Miguel Q. Booc III (Assistant Chief Engineer)
5. Joeffry R. Bantog (Oiler)
6. Jeerom D. Alaska (Oiler)
7. Michael B. Flores (Master Hatchman)
8. Jayson A. Vigonte (Hatchman)
9. Adrian Robert S. Amogod (Hatchman)
10. Bartolome P. Oab, Jr. (Hatchman)
11. Herbert J. Dalabajan (Hatchman)
12. Reynald S. Riparip (Passenger)
13. Ariel L. Tabang (Passenger)
14. Edwardo S. Manipol, Jr. (Passenger)
The BFAR noted that Alfonso is from Aklan, while the rest of the crew and passengers are from Palawan.
The BFAR said it will provide one sack of rice as initial immediate assistance for the families of the missing fishing crew and passengers.
It also assured the families of livelihood assistance, such as 30-footer motorized fiberglass fishing boats.
“The DA-BFAR will continue to provide assistance in the investigation and search and rescue efforts of the PCG and the LGU of Paluan,” it said.
The PCG has disclosed that Hong Kong-registered bulk carrier vessel, M/V Vienna Wood, collided with local fishing vessel F/V Liberty 5 on Sunday.
PCG spokesperson Commodore Armand Balilo said the foreign cargo vessel was sailing to Australia from Subic while the fishing boat, which departed from Cagayan de Oro and Tawi-Tawi, was on its way to the Navotas Fish Port when the collision happened at 1 a.m.
Coast Guard District Commander for Southern Tagalog Commodore Leovegildo Panopio said the PCG “held” in its custody the foreign vessel and its crew “because they have a liability.” (PNA)
