Victims in Bontoc mishap identified

BONTOC, Mountain Province — Authorities have identified the victims of the multiple vehicular mishap that occurred on the morning of 27 October 2025.

The Bontoc Emergency Operations Center reported a vehicular traffic accident along the Bontoc-Tabuk Enrile Road in Barangay Tocucan involving a blue elf truck, a red Fiera, and a mini-dump truck. The elf truck fell into an estimated 150 to 170-foot ravine and submerged in the waters of the Chico River.

Three bodies were retrieved and declared dead on the spot. They were identified as Rogelio Dela Cruz and Jessie Galicia, both from Pangasinan, and driver Zoren Jay Tala from Zamboanga. Their remains were brought to the Bontoc General Hospital.

Search and rescue (SRR) teams are still searching for the other victims, identified as Carlo Ancheta and Edmund Romeo, both from Pangasinan.

All victims were employees of Balintaugan Construction and were traveling to a construction site in Kuro-Kuro, Sadanga, Mountain Province. The victims were identified by their coworkers.

The SRR operation includes personnel from the Bontoc Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bontoc Municipal Police Station (MPS), Bontoc Emergency Response Team, Samoki Emergency Response Team, Bontoc Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), Municipal Health Office, Tocucan Barangay DRRM Committee, Sadanga BFP and MDRRMO, the Provincial DRRM Office, CAFGU, Mountain Province Police Provincial Office, and Red Cross - Mountain Province. Coordination was also made with authorities in nearby Tinglayan, Kalinga, for a joint search along the Chico River.