5 mountaineers found dead in Tarlac, 1 still missing

(Updated 8:11 p.m.) Five mountaineers who were on their way home from an outreach program were found dead in San Jose, Tarlac, on Monday, with another one still missing, according to a report on GMA News TV's Quick Response Team.

The report said the bodies were found at the foot of Mount Kawayan at around 7:30 a.m. Initial investigation showed they were swept away by the strong current of a creek they were trying to cross.

The group came from an outreach program for Aetas who were at the other side of the mountain. They started trekking to the site on August 29 and were on their way home on Sunday when the incident happened.

Meanwhile, the UP Mountaineers denied earlier reports saying the victims were members of their group.

"The organization would like to clarify that the people who passed away were not members nor are applicants of the University of the Philippines Mountaineers (often abbreviated to U.P. Mountaineers and UPM). The event was also not organized by the U.P. Mountaineers but by an outfitter based in Tarlac," the group said on Facebook.

Rather, the group's Search and Rescue Team (UPMSAR), led by one of its founders, Boboy Francisco, provided support for the search operations Sunday evening.  —Trisha Macas/KBK, GMA News