PCG looking at 2 vessels over missing Filipino fisherman off Subic

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is looking into two vessels that may have hit a Philippine boat off Subic, Zambales, on July 3, leading to the disappearance of one fisherman, its spokesperson said Wednesday.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo said one was a bulk carrier while the other was a cargo vessel. Both came from China and were going to Indonesia.

"Ang alam ko, nagko-coordinate na 'yung aming Port State Control Officer doon sa Port State Control ng Indonesia. Hindi ko lang malaman kung ngayon 'yung dating niya roon o bukas," Balilo said.

(As far as I know, our Port State Control Officer has coordinated with the Port State Control of Indonesia. I just don’t know if they will arrive today or tomorrow.)

"So para masabi lang doon sa Port State Control ng Indonesia na mayroong ganitong insidente,"  he added.

(This is so they can inform the Port State Control of Indonesia that something like this happened.)

The PCG previously said that brothers Robert and Jose Mondoñedo embarked from Barangay Wawandaue in Subic on July 1 to reach their payao — a "floating aggregate device" used to attract fish — in the vicinity waters of Sampaloc Point. 

Robert said that their boat was hit by another vessel at around 3 p.m. on July 3, causing it to sink and for Jose to go missing.

Expanded search

According to Balilo, their search and rescue operations are ongoing for the still-missing fisherman.

"Wala pa rin tayo nakikita, pero hindi tayo titigil. At susubukan nating lawakan pa ‘yung operations natin," Balilo said.

(We have not yet found him but we will not stop. And we will try to expand our operations.)

“At nag bigay na rin tayo ng notice to mariners kapag merong barko na dumaan doon at nasagip. Para mapagbigay alam sa atin,” he added.

(We have also notified our mariners in case they find him. So we will be informed.) —KBK, GMA Integrated News