After five days of relentless search efforts, rescuers in Quezon, Bukidnon, recovered the bodies of an elderly couple who were buried alive in a massive landslide that hit Barangay Palacapao on October 18.
According to a report by GMA Regional TV News, the victims — identified as Ely and Thelma Ubatay, both 60 years old — were found Thursday morning at the landslide site in Sitio Kipolot. The couple was discovered still in each other’s arms when they were unearthed.
The Ubatays had been missing since their tricab was swept away by the collapsing slope along the Bukidnon–Davao Road. The wreckage of the vehicle was located a day after the tragedy, but rescuers had to battle days of heavy rain and unstable soil before reaching the victims buried around 80 meters deep.
Quezon Public Information Officer Forts Cabarde said the search teams were able to locate the couple’s remains with the help of four trained search and rescue dogs — three from the military and one from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Opol, Misamis Oriental.
Cabarde added that the local government will provide assistance to the victims’ family. The rescue operations had earlier been delayed by persistent bad weather.
In response to the landslide, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon ordered the construction of a detour road to restore connectivity in the affected area, though officials said the work could take several months to complete.
