PCG divers join search for missing farmer in Bukidnon river

VALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon — A specialized Philippine Coast Guard scuba diving team from Cagayan de Oro City reinforced the search and retrieval operation on Wednesday for a farmer who went missing at a river here.

Rocky Bitos, 38, a resident of Barangay Colonia, went missing on Sunday after powerful currents of the Manupai River overwhelmed the handmade bamboo raft (gakit) he and his companions were riding.

His 15-year-old son, Mark, and three neighbors—all men in their 40s- managed to swim to safety.

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READ: Underwater search is on for Bukidnon man swept off bamboo raft

The PCG team augmented local search and retrieval operations at the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) dam in Barangay San Carlos, where Bitos’ remains were believed to have submerged.Bitos and his companions had spent the morning harvesting wild bamboo along the riverbanks in San Carlos to build rafts for sale, a customary seasonal livelihood they have relied on for years.According to survivor accounts, raft builders usually jump into the water to maneuver the heavy bamboo structures downstream.However, as the raft entered a treacherous section of the Manupali River, turbulent undercurrents created a powerful whirlpool that caught Bitos, injuring him before dragging him underwater.Search teams from the Valencia City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) and Barangay Colonia have been maintaining continuous watch cycles around the NIA dam structure./coa