3 dead, 2 missing in Rio Grande de Mindanao boat sinking

KIDAPAWAN CITY — Three people were killed while two others went missing after a motor boat they were riding capsized in the Rio Grande de Mindanao, around 5:30 a.m., Wednesday, according to the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Kabacan, North Cotabato. Rescue volunteers from MDRRMC recovered, at about 10 a.m. the body of Lilibeth Mandaya, 42, of Sitio Lebpas, Barangay Salat in President Roxas town. Hours later, the rescuers recovered the bodies of Gerry Marabe, 43, and his son Bobby, 5, both residents of New Village in Poblacion, Carmen, also in North Cotabato. Still missing and feared dead by members of the team were Mary Jean Abarca, 26, and 9-year old Genevieve Saliling, both residents of Barangay Tamped, Kabacan. Barangay Tamped chairman Daniel Saliling said the motorized banca capsized after a big pump boat overtook it along the Paidu Pulangi side of the river. Also, he said the banca was overloaded. Saliling’s niece, Genevieve, is still missing, as of this posting.   He said Genevieve was one of the 10 pupils of the Tamped Elementary School to join the DepEd’s Math Olympiad – district level competition at the University of Southern Mindanao in Kabacan on Wednesday. The boat was loaded with 18 passengers and sacks of corn, rice, and charcoal, Saliling said. Of the 18 passengers, 13 survived – nine pupils and four teachers of the Tamped Elementary School, who just like Saliling, were set to join the Math Olympiad. It’s not certain if authorities would file charges against the banca owner and operator identified as Edu Norodin. Those that survived the incident included Sofia Panambolan, 11; Christine Porcadilla, 11; Mikki Gomata, 12; Danica Panigel, 10; Dante Mandadtem, 9; Nathaniel Maninggola, 9; Jonamae Buenafe, 11; Jenecel Tomas, 11; Jenny Ambag, 12; Jenny-Vi Amella; Elvira Sepe; Ebma Escobar; and Edu Salipungan, 46.   Cotabato Governor Lala Mendoza has already dispatched team on Wednesday to conduct search for the missing persons. The retrieval operations resumed around 4:30 a.m.Thursday, reports said.   — Malu Cadeliña Manar /LBG, GMA News