By Jennifer P. Rendon
The chances of finding Corporal Mark Anthony Alejandro might be dimming even as the search operation entered its fourth day in the waters of Antique and some parts of Mindoro.
“But we’re not giving up hope that we will find him alive,” Police Colonel Roy Parena, Antique police chief, said.
“Who knows, he could have just been swept by the strong current or had been rescued by a passing vessel but has yet to report to authorities,” Parena added.
Alejandro was among the five police and Coast Guard officers whose boat capsized while trying to bring relief goods to island barangays in Caluya, Antique last May 8, 2020.
Parena said they have shifted from search and rescue operations to search and retrieval operations but stressed that they are still hoping and praying that the multi-agency efforts would yield positive results.
The rescue teams included personnel from the Caluya Police Station, Caluya Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-Caluya, PCG-Boracay Island, and Philippine Navy.
Air assets of the Semirara Mining Corporation and the Philippine Air Force were also deployed for the search operations.
Parena’s sentiments are also shared by Alejandro’s fellow policemen at the Caluya Police Station and his family who also used all avenues, including social media platforms, to help them find the missing policeman.
In a Facebook post on Monday, the Caluya PNP has asked the public’s help in locating Alejandro.
“Kung mayroon po kayong impormasyon hinggil sa aming kasamang si PCpl Mark Anthony Raz Alejandro, maaari pong magreport sa pinakamalapit na estasyon ng pulis o Coast Guard sa inyong lugar.”
Alejandro’s wife Ghen could not contain her emotions as she has repeatedly posted pleas for information on her husband’s whereabouts.
Via Facebook, Ghen appealed to Semirara residents to check information that Alejandro was seen at Sitio Bolo in Bagangay Tinogboc.
“Ilang araw at gabi na walang txt/tawag galing sau Mark Anthony Alejandro. Miss na miss na kita hon.. Sana bukas makita kana talaga.. At sana ligtas ka,” she said.
Ghen added that her two young sons are also looking for him.
“Kung sino man nakakuha sau sana ibalik kana,” she said, as she prayed that rescuers would be guided on his whereabouts.
STABLE CONDITION
Parena said Alejandro’s four companions are now in stable condition.
They were readily rescued after their speed boat sank morning of May 8, 2020 at the seawaters bordering the islands of Sibolo and Liwagao in Caluya, Antique.
Rescued were Police Staff Sergeant Albert Francisco, Patrolman Allan Sabano, Petty Officer 3rd Class Kim Dayalo, and Petty Officer 3rd Class Jerald Ligan.
The five were on board a fiberglass PCG boat that served as convoy/escort motorbanca for Mayor Rigil Lim, who was in another pumpboat that was scheduled to deliver relief goods to the town’s coastal villages.
The original plan was for the Caluya police officers to accompany the mayor in a motorbanca.
But a last-minute glitch prompted the mayor to change boats and the police officers went with the Coast Guard team.
More police officers were supposed to join the Coast Guard team but they were left behind because of the boat’s limited capacity.
Parena said the weather was good when the group left Culasi Port.
But since the area is considered “open sea,” sudden turbulence is a common occurrence.
Each one of them immediately got hold of a floatation device.
The four survivors allegedly wore their device before another wave pummeled them again.
As they were trying to stay afloat, they did not see Alejandro, except for an instance that he raised his arm.
He was still wearing his bandolier and carrying his M16 Armalite rifle when the incident happened.
“Without his body, we would continue to hope that Alejandro is still alive,” Parena said.
