After about three weeks of continuous rescue, relief and recovery operations after the recent magnitude 6.9 earthquake, the Armed Forces of the Philippines has trimmed down its personnel and logistics deployed in the province, Col. Francisco Patrimonio, commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army based in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental, said.

Patrimonio also confirmed the close of retrieval operations for quake victims in Solongon, La Libertad and Planas, Guihulngan, and concurrence by local officials and next-of-kin of the missing persons.

Hopes have diminished for survivors but the families of the missing persons hope to, at least, recovered the bodies of their loved ones and give them a decent burial.

Patrimonio said, we exerted all best possible efforts to retrieve them, but the landslide area is too deep and wide to cover.

Patrimonio said, the Guihulngan government has agreed to pass a resolution declaring the Planas landslide area a memorial site in honor of those who perished.

In La Libertad town, the Philippine Army has requested the pull-out of their troops from the Solongon landslide area, but Mayor Lawrence Limkaichong told Patrimonio that the local government will hire civilian workers to continue working for possible recovery of more victims.

The AFP units that sent personnel, trucks, equipment and logistics in the search, rescue and retrieval operations were the Philippine Army’s 302nd Brigade and its two battalions, the 11th IB and the 79th IB, the 32nd Division Reconnaissance Company, the 1st Scout Ranger company, the 703rd Community Defense Center reservists, the Alpha Company of the 12th IB, the 303rd Infantry Brigade through its 47th IB and 62nd IB and the 301st Infantry Brigade based in Panay via its 82nd IB; the Philippine Navy that deployed five ships; the Philippine Coast Guard that deployed two search-and-rescue vessels; and the Philippine Air Force that sent four UH-1H helicopters and one Sikorsky rescue helicopter.

These military units, except for those based in Negros Oriental have already returned to their home bases, Patrimonio said.*JFP

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