BY JOEL CALAMBA ESCOL, Managing Editor
MDNN International – The remains of one of the two Filipino casualties of the 7.8 magnitude quake in Turkey and Syria arrived around 6:00 PM, yesterday (Feb 15) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
The embassy has earlier identified the dead body of an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) as Wilma Abulad Tezcan, a native of Quezon Province in the Philippines.
Tezcan’s remains was accompanied by her daughter Nicole Abulad. She was also an OFW in Turkey, it was learned.
In an interview with GMA News yesterday, Nicole said she was in Istanbul when the tragedy happened and she travelled 15 hours from Istanbul to Hatay province, from where her mother was, just to make sure her mom was alive. Unfortunately, she was met with bad news upon reaching her destination. Her mom was among those who died in the quake.
As of yesterday, the death toll of the deadly quake that hit Turkey and Syria has already reached over 40,000 people, authorities reported.
As requested by the daughter and with consent of the husband, the Embassy has arranged the immediate repatriation of the body of Wilma Abulad Tezcan, according to the embassy in Ankara.
The husband of Tezcan, who is a Turkish National has given consent for the repatriation of his wife.
Prior to her confirmation as among the casualties of the tremor, Tezcan was earlier reported missing until the embassy confirmed she was among the over 40,000 who have died of the quake.
2 PINOYS DIE IN QUAKE
Earlier, it was reported that the massive 7.8 magnitude tremor that hit Syria and Turkey on February 6 had left two Filipinos dead, the Department of Foreign Affairs reported.
But the DFA could not ascertain yet the identities of ONE the two Filipinos while search and rescue operations are ongoing.
It was learned that there were 34 Filipino evacuees and their families are now relocated in a safer place in Ankara, the capital of Turkey.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) issued an advisory asking every good samaritan to share their blessings to the affected Filipino families in Ankara.
