Rescue teams recovered three more bodies Tuesday from the rubble of a collapsed building under construction in Pampanga province, bringing the total death toll from the disaster to 20.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Central Luzon reported that responders discovered the 18th victim at 11:10 a.m. while working to clear debris in Barangay Balibago. The recovery efforts led teams to two more victims just over two hours later. All three bodies were extricated from the ruins shortly after 1 p.m.
The grim discoveries followed a grueling overnight operation where four other victims were pulled from the structure’s second quadrant between late Monday night and early Tuesday morning.
Fire Supt. Maria Leah Sejili, a regional spokesperson for the bureau, said those overnight recoveries included an unidentified individual extricated at 1:56 a.m. and another at 2:07 a.m. Responders also retrieved the remains of a canine early Tuesday.
Now in its 10th day, the search, rescue and retrieval operation continues around the clock. Prior to the discovery of the final three bodies, Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin II cited that approximately three individuals had remained unaccounted for based on manifested site assessments.
Lazatin said that emergency personnel are utilizing a unified command system to carefully navigate the remaining debris.
Officials stressed that every movement within the collapse zone is heavily strategic to protect the safety of the responders, maintain the dignity of the victims and secure the surrounding neighborhood.
All recovered bodies have been transferred to the City Health Office for formal documentation and disaster victim identification procedures.
Lazatin said local government agencies remain in close coordination to provide financial and logistical support to the affected families.
