UNDETERRED by the stench of death and possible injuries they may suffer as they plodded through mud, police commandos yesterday continued their grim search for missing victims of powerful tropical storm “Sendong” that ravaged parts of Mindanao and the Visayas region killing more than 500.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Nicanor A. Bartolome said PNP search, rescue and retrieval units have been deployed in places heavily-affected by the storm particularly Iligan and Cagayan de Oro cities.

“I have personally directed the regional directors of Caraga and Region 11 to dispatch one company each of 100 men from the respective Regional Public Safety Battalions to the most affected areas to assist in the search-and-rescue and retrieval operations,” he said.

Bartolome said SAR teams from the PNP Maritime Group and the Special Action Force and their equipment have also been dispatched to the devastated areas to help in all ongoing police operations.

Cop heroes

A police officer died, another one survived and two others were missing including a policewoman after they tried to rescue victims in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City that was hit by flashfloods brought by typhoon Sendong.

This was confirmed yesterday by Bartolome.

Bartolome identified the fatality as SPO1 Charlon Edrote while certain Inspector Charlito Penaliar and PO2 Sanday Labadan remain missing.

Another cop who was also part of the rescue team was found in Camiguin Island after being swept by floods in Cagayan de Oro.

SPO2 Roque Balestroy is now recovering in the hospital.

“The PNP national headquarters is constantly in touch with the regional directors, provincial directors and chiefs of police providing guidance and direction on the operation and will continue to do so until the situation normalizes,” the PNP chief said.

Bartolome said all available police personnel and resources have been deployed to affected areas in Visayas and Mindanao to help in ongoing search, rescue and relief operations by the government.        

Other forces from Police Regional Offices 5,6,7,8,9,10,11 and 12 together with their water craft have been made available for deployment since Friday. Police are also securing evacuation centers in the affected regions and are advising residents living in low-lying, mountainous and coastal areas to be on guard against possible flashfloods, landslides and mudslides.

Members of the Highway Patrol Group are also involved in the massive police operation to help the affected residents.

In its 6 a.m. report yesterday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Center headed by Undersecretary Benito Ramos placed the official death toll at 533 with 309 missing and 16 injured.     It said that 432 people have been rescued during the past three days.

The death figures were broken down as follows: 39 in Regon 7; 3 in Region 9; 481 in Region 10; 5 in  Compostela Valley, all buried to death in a landslide; one man who died after being struck by a flying object in Surigao del Sur in Caraga Region; four people who drowned in Kapai, Lanao del Sur in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The missing includes 22 in Negros Oriental and 289 in Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City.

As “Sendong” moved away from the Philippine area of responsibility at 10:30 p.m. last Sunday, the NDRRMC advised fishing boats and other small sea vessels not to venture into the seaboards of Luzon and Eastern Visayas due to big waves generated by the monsoon surge enhanced by the deadly storm. It also advised fishermen and commercial boat operators to observe extreme caution over the Western Visayas seaboard.

The NDRRMC said that in Western Visayas, “Sendong” triggered continuous heavy rains that flooded 13 barangays in Sigma, Capiz and two other villages in Panitan, Capiz.

In Central Visayas, flooding also hit Sibulan, Valencia and Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental. A cargo ship named Ever Transport Cargo sank after being battered by strong winds and big waves while anchored in Bgy. Calindagan in Dumaguete City. Another seacraft was also found half submerged at the Maayo Private Wharf in Sibulan, Negros Oriental.  A third vessel, a pumpboat owned by the local government, also sank while docked at the Lazi Port.

In Western Mindanao, floodwaters hit Polanco, Zamboanga del Norte and Dipolog City destroying at least six houses and a government-run day care center.

In Northern Mindanao, massive floods swept over the region the Mandulog and Agus river channels overflowed.

The floodwaters submerged 24 barangays in Lanao del Norte; Valencia City; El Salvador City and 22 barangays in Cagayan de Oro City in Misamis Oriental and six barangays in Misamis Occidental.

In Southern Mindanao, heavy rains triggered a landslide in Mount Diwata in Compostela Valley and massive flooding in the municipalities of Nabunturan, New Battan, Compostela, Monkayo and Montevista.

Landslides and flood also hit 36 barangays in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The NDRRMC’s latest report said “Sendong” affected 173 barangays in 23 municipalities and eight cities in 13 provinces in seven regions across the country affecting a total of 24,680 families composed of 135,094 persons.

As of yesterday, nearly 47,000 people are still housed in evacuation centers.

“Sendong” also damaged a total of 4,404 houses nationwide.

With Zaida delos Reyes-Palanca