ANGELES CITY, Pampanga — Search and retrieval operations at the collapsed building site here yielded another heartbreaking discovery Friday after rescuers recovered the body of a 51-year-old man who was identified as the father of the fifth victim found a day earlier.
Mayor Carmelo “Jon” Lazatin said the victim, a resident of Camarines Sur, was retrieved at about 12:40 a.m. after responders continued digging in an area where a strong odor had been detected. The latest recovery raised the death toll to six, while 14 individuals remain missing.
Amid the tragedy, rescuers received a glimmer of hope when responders reportedly heard knocking sounds from beneath the rubble in Sector 1 at around 10:59 a.m. Fire Superintendent Maria Leah Sejili, spokesperson of the Bureau of Fire Protection, said a Philippine Coast Guard K9 unit also indicated a possible presence in the area, prompting a Life Locator team to conduct scans within a 30-meter radius.
“Tuloy-tuloy po ang search and retrieval operations lalo sa area kung saan may kumakatok. Nabigyan tayo ng pag-asa na sana may mga buhay pa tayong makukuha sa ilalim,” Sejili said.
Authorities said manual clearing operations and the use of heavy equipment continue to help responders reach critical sections of the collapsed structure. Lazatin added that the City Health Office remains on duty around the clock, providing medical and mental health support to responders, while sanitation measures, including misting and fogging operations, are being conducted at the site.
The search operation remains ongoing.
