Kin of missing seaman in Dumalag seek help

Rosemarie Bulahan holds a photo of her son Marnel who was believed to have drowned in the river in Dumalag, Capiz. (Felipe V. Celino )

By Felipe V. Celino 

 

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – The family of a seafarer who went missing in a river in Dumalag, Capiz early this month sought the help of the authorities as they believe that he is still alive.

Rosemarie Bulahan, 69, of Brgy. Manapao, Pontevedra, sought the help of Pontevedra Mayor Esteban Contreras to help them find her son Marnel Bulahan who allegedly drowned while crossing the river at Brgy. Dolores Dumalag, Capiz last Oct 6, 2020.

Rosemarie said their family is seeking the help of the National Bureau of Investigation and other concerned government agencies to find the victim, whether dead or alive.

She said their family does not believe that he drowned because the victim knows how to swim being a seafarer.

She added that her son may have been abducted and killed because his body was never recovered despite massive retrieval and search operations conducted by several volunteers.

Marnel is from Brgy. Manapao Pontevedra and got married to a woman from Brgy. Dolores Dumalag where they have two children.

Bulahan, who went home to the Philippines in January 2020, was last seen Oct 6, 2020 in his poultry and piggery farms. He was wearing black short pants, green sando, and white pair of boots.

His family offered a P50,000 reward to whoever could find him.

The municipal government of Dumalag added another P50,000 reward.

The Bulahan family said any information on the victim’s location could be sent to cellular phone numbers (920) 876-9124 and (916) 754-2193.