PRESS RELEASE
Department of
Foreign Affairs
2330 Roxas Blvd.,
Pasay City, Philippines
* Tel.
No. 834-4000 *
www.dfa.gov.ph
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No. 292; 12 June 2003
FIVE FILIPINO
FISHERMEN RESCUED IN GUAM
Five Filipino fishermen who were rescued by a US Navy amphibious vessel some
300 nautical miles off the Philippines on 9 June, arrived in Guam on 10 June,
according to Philippine Consul General Bayani S. Mercado. The five Filipino
fishermen have been identified as the following:
1. Robert A. Bulig (date of birth 15 September 1972)- fishing
vessel captain, from Sto. Nino Village, Calumpang, General Santos City;
2. Rolito A. Bulig (date of birth 10 November 1983)- from
Sto. Nino Village, Calumpang, General Santos City;
3. Sergio Formentera (date of birth 10 October 1954)- from
Sto. Nino Village, Calumpang, General Santos City;
4. Ariel Formentera (date of birth 7 March 1989)- from
Sto. Nino Village, Calumpang, General Santos City;
5. Joseph Cuyos (date of birth 16 December 1967)- from
Christian Village, Calumpang, General Santos City.
The five fishermen together with three others namely, Rico Taksan (20 yrs.
old) of Mati, Davao; a certain Fredo (61 yrs. old) from Christian Village
and Berto from New Bohol, Calumpang, General Santos City, set out on board
fishing vessel Carling Jean on 3 May. They experienced engine trouble
on 15 May and went adrift. The eight fishermen from Mindanao subsisted on
fish and rainwater until a US Navy vessel managed to rescue them 25 days
later.
The reason that only five of the eight were rescued at sea was due to the
initial effort of Rico Taksan and Fredo to seek help. They boarded a smaller
boat (kumpit) to look for the nearest shore. They were initially identified
as missing but reports from Radio Mindanao Network last 11 June indicate
that they are now safely back at home in General Santos City. The man identified
as Berto however succumbed to the harsh conditions of the sea and died while
on board the Carling Jean.
All five fishermen rescued by the US Navy amphibious vessel were checked
by U.S. Navy doctors and were found to be in good physical condition. According
to Consul General Mercado, US Immigration officials handed the five over
to the Philippine Consulate yesterday morning.
Meanwhile, Senator Robert Jaworski, who incidentally is in Guam as a guest
of the Filipino community in observance of the 105th anniversary of Philippine
Independence, visited with the five fishermen at the Consulate. There,
local media, along with Philippine radio stations RMN, DZMM, DZBB and DZEC
conducted interviews via phone patch all around, especially the five fishermen.
According to Consul General Mercado, the five have been able to contact their
relatives in Mindanao by way of radio/phone patch interviews. Arrangements
for their forward trip to General Santos City are being arranged by the Philippine
Consulate. END