Senior Supt. Benjamin Silo, Jr., Bataan police director, made the announcement after the last batch of 100 mountaineers arrived at 12:30 p.m. in the command post in Barangay Alas-Asin here.
“Lahat ng umakyat papuntang Tarak, rehistrado man o hindi ay all accounted batay sa statements ng mga guides at rescue teams,” the PD said.
He said that only a woman mountaineer, Sherry Solis, 29, from Cavite, suffered minor injuries of cramps on the hands and muscle pain on her knee.
Rescue teams came from the Bataan police, Philippine Army, Metro Bataan Development Authority, provincial disaster risk reduction management office and the provincial government of Bataan and the municipal government of Mariveles.
They guided the mountaineers in safely going down the muddy and slippery trail from the ridge, part of the Mariveles mountain, to Alas-Asin.
“Pagtutuunan ng Bataan police na hindi na maulit ang insidente. Kapag may bagyo, pagbabawalan na pag-akyat sa Tarak. Irerekomenda natin yan sa local government ng Mariveles,” Silo said.
Alas-Asin barangay chairman Roberto Arcenal said only 75 mountaineers passed their village hall to register Saturday.
He said that some entered the ridge from Barangay Pantingan in Pilar town and made their exit in Alas-Asin so their village has no record of all those climbing the Mariveles mountain.
The village chief said that the mountaineers did not seek their help but that they decided to advise them to go down because of the worsening weather situation.
“Sana, kapag may bagyo palipasin muna bago umakyat sa bundok,” Arcenal said.
He said that however, mountaineers seem to enjoy climbing Tarak even when there is a storm. He said that mountain climbers usually come Saturdays and Sundays and stay overnight in the mountain.
Solis said that her group of eight from Cavite entered at 1:15 p.m. of Saturday the Tarak Ridge at the side of Pantingan. “Madilim at malakas ang ulan pagdating ng gabi,” she said.
Fred Arellano was with a group of 31 mountaineers from Batangas. “Bagong experience kahit hindi kami nakarating sa ridge,” he said.
Arellano said that his companions woke up Sunday morning with their tents filled with water. He said that mountain guides told them to pack and to be ready to go down the mountain.
“Akala namin ang bagyo nasa south at wala pa sa Bataan,” he said.
