By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — A pre-dawn landslide buried a family of four in Purok Matingo, Upper Salazar, Barangay Central in Mati City, Davao Oriental on Friday, Feb. 20, prompting a swift retrieval operation involving the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)–Mati City Fire Station.
Citing a report from the BFP XI Mati Firestation social media page, firefighters mobilized immediately upon receiving the alarm and augmented the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), which led the response.
Acting City Fire Marshal Fire Senior Inspector Elizabeth D. Capiña ordered the deployment, while Senior Fire Officer 2 Andro S. Logatiman, chief of the Operations Section, oversaw ground operations amid unstable soil and the threat of further collapse.
Responders later retrieved the bodies of an adult male, a pregnant woman, and their two daughters from tons of earth and debris.
The BFP said strict safety protocols were enforced throughout the operation due to hazardous terrain conditions. Authorities have yet to release additional details pending notification of relatives.
The tragedy underscores the persistent landslide risk in upland communities, especially during periods of sustained rainfall, the BFP added.
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