Ferry disaster: Mayor still missing, councilor dead

Mayor Arlene Navarro of Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte, remained missing, along with 19 others, as of Sunday, and Councilor Juanita Comon was identified as among those who died when a ferry sank in rough waters off Surigao del Norte on Saturday. Radio dzXL reported that by 8:30 a.m. Sunday, the remains of Comon and nine other fatalities have been brought to the Surigao del Norte provincial gym. The remains of at least five other fatalities were still in Dapa town in Surigao del Norte. Mayor Navarro, wife of former Surigao del Norte Rep. Constantino Navarro, remained missing as of Sunday morning, reports as of 8:30 a.m. Sunday added. At least 64 survivors have been taken to the Dapa municipal hospital for medical treatment. Apart from Comon, the remains of Evangeline Sumando, Percillano Hornales, Rogelia Pakeo, Carmen Hornales, Karen Hornales, Estelito Comboy, and Karen Rondes, an unidentified female, and a boy aged three to four years old, have been brought to the Surigao del Norte provincial gym. Still in Dapa town are the remains of Elsa Salucop, Enrie Caner, Kennie Madreo, Arlene Solima, and Lina Hornales. Also reported as missing as of Sunday morning were Thelma Villar-Burgeos, Renato Burgeos, Jessie Salipong, Lea Compras, Romualdo Pacceo, Jessie Burgeos, and Vicente Donozo. Dapa is a fifth-class town in Surigao del Norte. The 2000 census indicates it has a population of 19,508 people in 3,846 households. On Saturday, Surigao del Norte Governor Lyndon Barbers said that M/B Leonida II sank off Bilisan Point, Hinatuan Island, part of Surigao del Norte, at 2:20 p.m. Many of the ill-fated vessel's passengers were students who had attended a secondary school conference in Surigao City. The Leonida II was reportedly on its way to Del Carmen town in Siargao Island. Blanche Gobenciong of the regional Office of the Civil Defense said there was no storm in the area, but the seasonal northeastern winds usually churn up the waters. The boat's passenger manifest listed 48 persons but the number of casualties and those rescued indicated it may have been carrying more. The ferry M/V Maria Sofia owned by Montenegro Lines picked up 48 survivors when it passed in the area. Surigao City port authorities suspect that the vessel was overloaded with cargo, mostly personal belongings and 300 sacks of cement. Gobenciong said her office was not immediately provided a copy of the passenger manifest. Boat accidents are common in the Philippines because many ferries used for travel between islands are old and poorly maintained, while enforcement of safety regulations is weak. - GMANews.TV with a report from AP