In Labogon, Mandaue City: 3 dead as buri falls on houses

CEBU, Philippines - It was a nightmare for real.

Three people died in barangay Labogon, Mandaue City shortly past midnight yesterday when a huge buri tree fell on their houses and pinned them.

The fatalities were identified as Romeo Dimpas, 44, his wife Teresita, 45, and their neighbor Richard Terrodias.

 Residents of the area said that while there was rain, they did not notice any wind that could have helped topple off the huge tree estimated to be 15 meters tall and weighing five tons.

Dimpas worked as a painter while Teresita was a housewife. Their 18-year-old son, Rod Walter, survived the tragedy as he was still awake when the tree fell.

Rod Walter, who is a student at the Consolacion National High School, said that he was writing something when he heard the tree crash.

He could not anymore hear his father while he still heard his mother’s faint pleas for help.

Terrodias, 27, lived in the next house. His common law wife, Haydee, was lucky to have survived as the tree only hit her hair. Their three-year-old daughter, who was sleeping beside her also survived unscathed.

Half of Terrodias body was pinned by the tree.

Haydee suffered some bruises as the galvanized iron sheets that they used as roofing material fell on her.

The two houses that were hit by the tree were both made of light materials.

“Mao akong namat-an nga akong silingan nagpakitabang busa ako pung gipukaw akong bana ug sa dihang akong gihikap hasta man pud siya nahagbaan sad pud unya nakabantay ko nga murag nipilit sad akong buhok,” Haydee said .

Barangay Captain Damaso Tumulak, who immediately rushed to the scene upon learning of the incident, said that the faces of the victims were smashed.

Paramedics from the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (ERUF) pulled the victims from under the tree and brought them to the hospital where they were declared dead on arrival.

Tumulak said that it also took at least about an hour for each of the victim’s bodies to be pulled out.

The bodies of the Dimpas couple were the first to be retrieved and brought to the Cortes hospital at 1:50 am while it was already 4 am when Gerodias body was brought to the Mandaue City Hospital as VECO personnel had to be summoned to cut off the wires that got tangled by the tree.

Tumulak said that although there was no strong wind, they believe that the tree fell because of the decay on the lower part of the trunk.

“Wa lang dyud na mabantayi  nga naay nadeformed ug niaksyon ug kabali kay nasalipdan man gud na sa CR sa mga Dimpas. Kon imo gyung tan-awon dili gyud gikan sa ugat ang pagkahagba sa buri,” Tumulak said.

He said that the tree was already more or less 20 years old and it lies in a private property owned by certain Conchita Go, who has already migrated to another country.

 Since Go is no longer around , informal settlers including the victims also took the opportunity to construct their dwellings in the said property, which is now home to 100 households according to the barangay captain.

 Tumulak said that his barangay could have been called at the “Buri capital of the city,” because it is also a main source of livelihood for many of its residents, who make brooms.

Tumulak said that they have already cut down about 20 buri trees since he became captain as part of efforts to keep the barangay safe.

He said that it was difficult to know the status of the tree as it could not be seen from afar due to a nearby warehouse and was surrounded by houses.

The victims will be receiving aid from the barangay of P5,000 for each fatality.

The city government is also set to give assistance.

Roger Paller, the Public Information Officer, said the city government will be providing food to the victim’s family while the City Social Welfare Services (CSWS) will be recommending to Mayor Jonas Cortes to give P15,000 cash assistance for each victim.

 He added that the CSWS will still evaluate if the city could also provide the victims with housing materials. —/NLQ - (THE FREEMAN)