Eight fishermen on board two motorized fishing boats from Barangay Bagong Bayan, Puerto Princesa City were reported missing since last week, September 28, 2022.
The missing boats were M/BCA Mark of Faith and M/BCA Chol Chol. The missing fishermen were identified as Exequeil Bancolo, boat operator, Gilbert Almoroto, boat operator, and crews Mark Fernan Carillo, Juanito Tanguiran, Romeo Sarco, Jeryll Corpuz, Mark Eden Monares, and Sherwin John Lojina.
In a report of City ENRO Enforcement Division, Bantay Dagat section, through its program manager Rogelio Yara of Bantay Dagat West Coast, said that the eight fishermen were among the nine groups of fishermen who ventured into fishing in Reed Bank fishing grounds, approximately 18 hours travel from Barangay Bagong Bayan.
On September 23, 2022, nine groups of fishermen ventured into fishing in Reed Bank however, only seven groups were able to return safely returned to Barangay Bagong Bayan, while the eight fishermen on board the two fishing boats were missing.
“Seven (7) out of Nine (9) motorized fishing boats returned safely on September 26, 2022, Monday but the other two still not returned yet and were declared missing by the other local fishermen because according to them the normal period of fishing venture on the Reed Bank is about three to four days only and according to them they experienced strong winds and waves due to the Southwest monsoon and Typhoon Karding,” the report of Yara reads.
The Office of the City ENRO, Atty. Carlo B. Gomez already informed the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard about the incident.