14 trapped villagers in quake-ravaged NoCot town airlifted to safety

MAKILALA, North Cotabato – Fourteen villagers trapped in an isolated village of Luayon here following the Oct. 29 tremor have been rescued after they were safely airlifted from the site to the town proper here.

North Cotabato Board Member Shirlyn Macasarte, serving as acting vice governor, led the rescue operation Sunday morning in landslide-ravaged village using two Philippine Air Force choppers.

Macasarte said the mission this morning was to rescue 21 trapped villagers who were unable to evacuate due to landslides.

However, seven of them, mostly males, opted to walk their way out of the village using various trails en route to Barangay Malasila, a village near the town center.

Those who opted to use the other way to the town center braved the landslides, mudflow and falling rocks whenever aftershocks occur.

“The information on about the trapped villagers came from them so the provincial government initiated the rescue mission,” she told reporters.

Mansueto Gambis, one of those rescued from Sitio Bagong Silang, Luayon, told reporters they survived five days by eating root crops and rice on day one and two.

After the successful rescue mission, Macasarte personally thanked, in behalf of North Cotabato provincial government and the people of Makilala, the Philippine Air Force officers for their “efforts and determination to save lives.”

She identified them as Capt. Glenn Cadelina, Capt. Frank Floyd Tabat, Capt. Niel Jasper Layug and Lt. Fredelle Torres and their crew members.

Macasarte also lauded the members of the ground crew from Philippine Army and Bureau of Fire Protection Personnel who cleared the landing site from threats and for providing security around the village of Luayon.

“All accounted for, we got them safely,” Macasarte posted on her social media account accompanied by images of the rescue efforts.