5 still missing in Itogon village as retrieval operations near endgame

BAGUIO, Philippines – Retrieval operations at Sitio Portal in Barangay Ucab, Itogon, Benguet is nearing endgame after retrievers on Friday, September 28, reached the portal the area was named after. 

According to Scene of the Crime Operatives Cordillera chief Rodrigo Leal, only 5 remained missing in Ucab.

The missing were identified as Jomin Domingo, Renato Battawong, Frederick Dango, John B. Ponhed aka John Follegang, and Rex “Hogan” Ponchaohan. They are all miners. 

Rescuers have started digging further into the tunnels.

Meanwhile, those recovered on Friday were found either beside or inside the main portal of the former Benguet Corporation mines.

As of Saturday, September 29, at least 86 have been identified dead in Itogon following the onslaught of Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut).

Aside from the missing in Ucab, there are 6 people still missing from other areas in Itogon:

• Dampigan, Loacan (site of another massive landslide) – backhoe operator Leandro Melchor and responder Kim Gragasin
• Sitio Luneta – Lito and Verga Lagitan
• Barangay Virac (two separate sites) – Rico Lumasok and Francis Onsay

– Rappler.com

Read more stories from Rappler‘s coverage of the Itogon landslide:

• In Itogon, sister volunteers to dig beneath the soil to look for brother
• IN PHOTOS: The Itogon mining community before and after Ompong
• Why mine despite landslide scare? ‘Doon lang kami umaasa’
• FAST FACTS: What to know about Itogon, Benguet
• Itogon women trek a mountain to feed families as men dig for missing
• After tragic landslide, mayor says Itogon to transition to farming
• Rescuers of Itogon: No surrender until all bodies found
• LIST: Deadly landslides in the Philippines
• Itogon tragedy: Disaster response gone wrong
• Itogon tragedy: When the land of promise buried its people
• Twin tragedies: How Itogon and Naga landslides are alike