Interpol team arrives for technical support

CEBU, Philippines - International forensic experts have arrived in the Philippines to offer technical assistance at areas worst-hit by super typhoon Yolanda.

Nine officers from the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) arrived in Cebu yesterday and aid a courtesy visit to Mayor Michael Rama.

The Interpol Incident Response Team (IRT) led by Interpol Director of Operational Support Michael O’Connell is composed of specialists from the General Secretariat headquarters, DVI and DNA experts from Canada, South Africa and the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP).

“We are here to support the national response, provide advice, guidance and assessment within the Tacloban area and the wider community. We will give advice and guidance to the national authorities in this significant event and if there is a broader requirement for other international support, then we will look into how to assist the national authorities in bringing that in,” O’Connell told reporters.

The team will also help in assessing the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) requirements but O’Connell stressed the primary goal of the visit is not identifying the casualties, as the same would depend on the national government.

“At the moment, that (identifying casualties) is not our mandate. At the moment, our mandate is to provide support, advice and assessment. If the national authorities would want to make a further request on assistance and supports with regards identification then we will look into that to see if the international police community can support that requirement,” the Interpol official explained.

The team boarded a C-130 plane from Cebu to Tacloban at 5am today, accompanied by Interpol Visayas head, retired Colonnell Francisco Dalawampu.

Results of this weekend’s assessment will be furnished to the Department of Justice and the Department of Health, among other agencies.

Interpol IRT has been involved in responding to previous calamities, including in the sinking of  the Princess of the Stars sinking in 2008, which killed almost 1,000 individuals when typhoon Frank hit.

Meanwhile, in view of the influx of transients from typhoon-stricken Leyte and Samar, the Cebu City government has devised a system for relatives and friends to track those who fled their calamity-ravaged hometown.

Those who wish to check who sought refuge in Cebu City may visit finder.cebucity.gov.ph to view data on transients as profiled by Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7 in coordination with the city’s Department of Social Welfare Services.

The system was developed by the city’s Management Information Computer System (MICS).

Apart from basic information including name, age, gender and address during the typhoon, current status of the visitors from Leyte and Samar may also be viewed.

For those who do not have internet access, they may call barangay offices where evacuation centers were located including Tinago (256-3821), Cogon Ramos (253-6750), Capitol Parish (255-8516), Guadalupe (254-7296 to 97), San Roque (416-6900) and San Nicolas (418-6147).

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who boarded Navy sea craft and Air Force planes were temporarily housed in sports complex in different barangays. –/JMO (FREEMAN)