|
VICE-President Noli de Castro on Friday sought the assistance of the
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in the search for the 22 missing
fishermen of the ill-fated F/B Vir Anna 101.
De Castro asked the DFA to instruct the
Philippine embassies in China, Malaysia and Taiwan to seek help from
the said countries.
Reports said that the said fishing boat sunk off
Pagasa in Palawan in November last year at the height of storm “Lando.”
De Castro sought the assistance of the
department after the kin of the fishermen—Nina Flores, Tessie
Garcia and Angel Abante—came to his office on Thursday to appeal
for help in finding their loved ones who may have been swept by
waves to the areas of Ito Aba and North Danger in the Spratly
Islands
In January, the Office of the Vice-President
received a report that the missing fishermen were spotted somewhere
in Vietnam. The Vice-President asked the assistance of DFA to look
into it.
The department reported to de Castro’s office
that the search for the missing fishermen in the coastal islets
belonging to Vietnam yielded negative results.
The missing fishermen are Henry Sandoval 30,
Roger Visaya 60, Rex Garcia 27, Julieto Orgino 45, Maynard Bunquin
25, Gilbert Ylagan 33, Eugenio Cueto 46, Philip Visaya 19, Noriel
Orgino, Monching Bunquin 30, Rex Maranan 26, Andy Cruzat 27, Mark
Ronally Visaya 24, Efren Caguete 30, Efren Orgino 50, Roger Garcia
49, Ryan Bacay 22, Herminio Malapitan 37, Elmer Flores 46, and
Jaybee Halos, 20.
De Castro promised to do everything he can to
help the families in finding the missing fishermen.
-- Francis Earl A. Cueto
|
