Filtered By: Topstories
News

Filipino climber claims reaching Mt. Everest first


A Filipino mountaineer came out on television Friday to claim that he was the first Filipino to climb Mt. Everest, but turned-out it was the wrong spot, GMA7’s 24 Oras reported. In an interview with television station NET 25, mountaineer Ronuel Aquino proudly narrated his experience when he climbed “Island Peak" which was part of the Himalayan mountain range that included Mt. Everest. He even showed his passport, certificate and pictures to prove his claim as the first Filipino to set foot on top of the tallest mountain in the world while carrying the Philippine flag. Mountaineers Romi Garduce, Del Adelujar, and the Philippine Everest team are the acknowledged Filipinos currently on Mt. Everest to try their luck in becoming the first Filipinos to reach the peak of the mountain. Nepalese authorities and Mt. Everest chronicler Elizabeth Hawley has denied that a Filipino have successfully reached the peak of the tallest mountain. It was learned that Island Peak is different from Mt. Everest although they are both in Nepal. Island Peak stands at 20,300 feet above sea level while Mt. Everest is at 29,039 feet. “I’ve created a lot of records; there has been no Filipino climber on Mt. Everest, certainly … not anyone who reached the summit," Hawly said. Kiko Santos, former president of the University of the Philippines’ Mountaineering Club, however, said that Aquino’s achievement should also be given due recognition. “We will give credit to him (for his effort to reach Mt. Everest)," he said.-GMANews.TV

LOADING CONTENT