- 3 sniffing dogs in landslide site to help first responder “Appa”
THE PHILIPPINE Coast Guard deployed three more dogs in the search for the missing individuals in the massive landslide in Zone 1, Barangay Masara, Maco, Davao de Oro on the evening of Feb. 6.
The three female dogs were accompanied by their handlers from Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao.
Lt Commander Angel Tobias, Coast Guard District South Eastern Mindanao chief of staff, said the three additional CG K9 Search and Rescue dogs from Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur arrived at the Coast Guard headquarters early morning on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
The newly arrived K9 dogs and their handlers were welcomed upon their arrival and were blessed by the District’s Chaplain, Rev Fr (CG Lt) Emmanuel Cabahug, invoking blessings for their mission of retrieving the missing individuals.
She said these highly trained dogs and their dedicated handlers bring invaluable skills and expertise to the efforts to locate and retrieve the missing individuals.
“The district remains committed to using all resources and employing every available means to locate and retrieve those affected by the landslide,” she added.
“Ivy,” a sniffing dog from Coast Guard District Western Mindanao (CGDWM), joined the search and retrieval operations at ground zero of the Masara landslide on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
It can be remembered that Appa played a crucial role in rescuing the three-year-old girl in a massive landslide that occurred in Zone One, Barangay Masara, Davao de Oro.
Appa was the Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao (CGDSEM) humanitarian rescue K9 dog.
As of 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, the search and rescue teams dug three more bodies, bringing the total to 71, with 17 unidentified and 47 still missing. Maco Mayor Carlos Voltaire Rimando has issued Executive Order 15, declaring a shift in operations from rescue to retrieval beginning Wednesday, Feb. 14, but high hopes remain to find more survivors.
