Disaster responders carry the remains of the missing couple who were swept by a landslide at the Bukidnon-Davao Road. Their bodies were found with the help of rescue dogs Venom (top most), Bella and Paul as authorities conduct search and retrieval operations at Barangay Palacapao on Thursday.
Photographs courtesy of Quezon Bukidnon LGU
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Cagayan De Oro City — Search teams recovered the bodies of an elderly couple who went missing after being swept away in a landslide on the Bukidnon-Davao Road last Saturday, local officials announced Thursday.
The bodies of Thelma B. Ubatay and Ely L. Ubatay Sr., residents of Palacapao, Quezon, Bukidnon, were recovered at 9:31 a.m. Thursday at the landslide site in Sitio Kipolot, Barangay Palacapao.
Authorities said that the recovery brings a close to the five-day search for the couple, who were market vendors returning to their residence when the road collapsed on 18 October. Their vehicle, a small motorized tricycle known locally as a “bao-bao,” was buried in silt and soil after falling onto a cliff.
The local government of Quezon, Bukidnon, said that strong indications of the couple’s location were found Thursday morning, aided by Search and Rescue dogs from the 10th Infantry Division and heavy equipment. Personal belongings and a shellfish they had been carrying were first discovered on Sunday.
The landslide, which occurred along a zigzag portion of the highway, remains a major disruption. Quezon town Mayor Pablo Lorenzo urged the Department of Public Works and Highways to establish an alternative road near the affected site.
Currently, the road is closed to traffic, forcing passengers to climb a hill to cross to the other side where connecting buses to Davao are waiting.
The search for the couple was briefly suspended Wednesday due to heavy rain, which posed a risk of further landslides, according to the Quezon Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
Meantime, the local government extended its deepest condolences to the Ubatay family and promised continued coordination to address their needs.
In a statement, the LGU expressed gratitude to all participating agencies, including the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the 403rd Brigade and 10th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, the Bukidnon Provincial Police Office, and disaster response teams from the nearby localities of Valencia, Dangcagan, Kalilangan, Kadingilan, Damulog and Maramag.
“For your great help in finding Mr. and Mrs. Ubatay and giving closure to the family,” the statement read.
