ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanews/18 January) – Policemen from Zamboanga del Norte with the assistance of civilians rescued Friday a fisherman from Negros Oriental who was drifting at sea for five days.
Chief Insp. Ariel Huesca, Police Regional Office-9 information officer, identified the rescued fisherman as Jerry Gahonera, 39, of Barangay Nasipit, Siaton, Negros Oriental.
Huesca said Gahonera’s rescue came after the residents of Barangay Kauswagan, Baliguian, Zamboanga del Norte saw him drifting at sea around 10:40 a.m. Friday.
Huesca said Gahonera was immediately taken to the Rural Health Unit for medical check-up and referred to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
He said the Baliguian police has coordinated with the Negros Oriental Police Office for Gabonera’s return to his village.
Gahonera told the policemen that he and another fisherman from Barangay Nasipit, Siaton town went fishing last January 12 but were separated at sea due to a storm surge.
It was also learned that Gahonera drifted at sea after his motorized banca ran out of fuel and capsized due to strong waves, winds and heavy rain.
The storm surge was spawned by the Low Pressure Area (LPA) hovering over the Visayas and Mindanao areas for the past days which eventually developed into tropical depression Agaton.
Signal 1 was raised over Surigao del Norte including Siargao Island, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Province, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley and Southern Leyte, according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical and Services Administration (PAGASA) in its 5 p.m. Friday weather bulletin.
By Sunday, Signal 1 remained over the seven Mindanao provinces but Southern Leyte was taken out of the list. (MindaNews)