Pinoy killed in New Zealand quake identified

MANILA, Philippines -  New Zealand police have identified a Filipina casualty in the earthquake that hit Christchurch last month.

Ivy Jane Cabunilas, 33, a health assistant at the Cashmere View Hospital in Christchurch, was the first confirmed fatality among the 11 Filipinos earlier declared missing and were feared to have died in the quake.

Authorities have confirmed the identities and released the names of 65 people who died in the disaster, including Cabunilas’.

The missing Filipinos are Jesse Lloyd Redoble, John Christopher Chua, Ezea Mae Medalle, Emmabel Anova, Jewel Francisco, Mary Louise Anne Amantillo, Valquin Bensurto, Rhea Mae Sumalpong, Erica Nora, and Lalaine Agatep.

New Zealand has conveyed to the Philippines that there is no more chance of finding survivors in the earthquake that struck Christchurch. Disaster teams have shifted operation from search and rescue to recovery of remains.

Acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario confirmed that New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully informed him on March 2 that 11 Filipinos perished in the 6.3 magnitude earthquake.

The DFA is coordinating with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in getting fingerprint samples of the 11 Filipinos.

The fingerprints will be brought to Christchurch to help in identifying the missing Filipinos.

The relatives of the missing Filipinos were also requested to secure the dental records and other medical records of their missing loved ones to help in their identification.

In Cebu, Ivy’s sister-in-law Marian Mae Sasam, 19, said Ivy’s husband had already called Cecelia Ragay to inform her of the news. Ragay had taken care of Ivy since she was two after her parents separated. – With Freeman