DILG Cebu: No missing quake victims

Local

AN EARLIER report of missing residents in Bogo City, northern Cebu has been clarified.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Cebu Province confirmed that there are no missing persons in the city following the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck northern Cebu on Sept. 30.

DILG Cebu provincial director Dr. Jesus Robel Sastrillo Jr. said the report came from a verification request made by the consul general of the Philippine Embassy in Paris, France.

The consul general sought updates on the whereabouts of Gemma Largabo, Ledito Largabo, and Eriana Largabo, who were believed to be residents of Barangay Binabag, Bogo City, after relatives in Paris could not reach them.

Police attaché Colonel Rodolfo Castro Jr. forwarded the consul general’s inquiry to the DILG for validation.

Sastrillo said DILG field officers immediately coordinated with barangay officials and checked the Registry of Barangay Inhabitants (RBI).

The validation showed that the three names were not listed as residents or casualties in Bogo.

Barangay captains also confirmed that no family with the surname “Largabo” lives in any of their areas.

Sastrillo said the earlier situational report may have treated the inquiry as a confirmed case of missing individuals.

He explained that the names mentioned could belong to relatives who had already relocated to another locality.

He underscored the need for all reports on missing persons and casualties to be verified through the DILG and barangays before being made public.

“This is not about missing… This pertains to the request,” he said.

Sastrillo reminded local officials that under Republic Act 10112, the DILG holds the authority to validate and circulate verified information to ensure consistency and accuracy in official reports.

He also noted that the initial report was unofficial and partial, emphasizing that all data should undergo validation before release.

As of Oct. 6, the DILG confirmed that the verified death toll in Cebu Province has reached 72.

The fatalities include 32 in Bogo City, 14 in Medellin, 15 in San Remigio, five in Tabogon, two each in Borbon and Tabuelan, one in Sogod, and one in Oslob.

The Oslob casualty, though far from the epicenter, died after losing balance and hitting his head on hard surface.

The DILG assured that all future situational reports will be cross-checked with barangay officials and field officers to maintain accuracy in disaster response information.(MyTVCebu)