14 trapped in cutoff village rescued

Mansueto Gambis, one of those rescued from Sitio Bagong Silang, Luayon, told reporters they survived by eating root crops and rice for five days. #airlift #rescue #earthquake

MAKILALA, North Cotabato — Fourteen villagers trapped in the isolated village of Luayon following the magnitude 6.6 earthquake on 29 October were safely airlifted to the town proper here Sunday.

“All accounted for, we got them safely,” North Cotabato Board Member Shirlyn Macasarte, acting vice governor, said in her social media post.

Macasarte led the rescue operation in the landslide-hit village using two Philippine Air Force helicopters.

She said the mission was to rescue 21 trapped villagers who were unable to evacuate as landslides cut off access to the village.

However, seven of them, mostly males, opted to walk their way out of Luayon using various trails en route to Barangay Malasila, a village near the town center.

Those who opted to use the other way to the town center braved the landslides, mudflow and falling rocks whenever aftershocks occurred.

“The information about the trapped villagers came from them so the provincial government initiated the rescue mission,” Macasarte told reporters here.

Mansueto Gambis, one of those rescued from Sitio Bagong Silang, Luayon, told reporters they survived by eating root crops and rice for five days.

After the successful rescue mission, Macasarte personally thanked, on behalf of North Cotabato provincial government and the people of Makilala, the Philippine Air Force officers for their “efforts and determination to save lives.”

She identified them as Capt. Glenn Cadelina, Capt. Frank Floyd Tabat, Capt. Niel Jasper Layug and Lt. Fredelle Torres and their crew members.

Macasarte also lauded the members of the ground crew from the Philippine Army and Bureau of Fire Protection personnel who cleared the landing site from threats and for providing security around the village of Luayon.