MARIVELES, Bataan — A 54-year-old fisherman from a village here who went out to the sea a day before the New Year was reported still missing with his banca on the fourth day Monday.
Leslie Malobo, 28, eldest daughter of Ronald Malobo, said on Monday that her father with other fishermen from Barangay Biaan left at 3 am. of Dec. 31, 2021 to fish but since then has not returned and there was still no trace of his banca or any of his belongings.
Search has been conducted beginning 11 a.m. of Dec. 31 but still no word about her father, Leslie said.
“Ang sabi ng mga kasamahan ng aking ama ay nakita daw nila ito noong pauwi na sila at nagpaalam pa ang mga ito dito pero may parating na barko at paglingon nila ay wala na daw ang aking ama,” she said.
Leslie said her father’s companions could not really say if he was hit by the vessel and she too was in doubt of the story. “Kung ito ay nabangga ay posibleng makita nila ang bangka na nasira pero hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin nakikita ang aking ama at ang bangka nito o gamit nito sa pangingisda,” she said.
The daughter said her father was alone in his banca and that when they left Biaan the waves were calm and there was no strong wind.
“Nananawagan po ako na sana makita na ang papa ko. Ang bangka na sinasakyan niya ay kulay dilaw at merong nakalagay na Prince Nathan, tapos ang damit niya kulay maroon po tapos naka-jersey siya na short na may kulay pink. Kalbo at hindi ganoon kalaki ang katawan. Sana po kung saan man siya naroon o kung sino ang nakakita sa kanya ay ipagbigay alam ninyo sa akin,” the daughter appealed in sobs.
Luciano Maglente, 46, one of the “mangingitang” who was with Ronald Malobo in separate banca, confirmed that the waves were calm when they started heading for the fishing ground.
“Alas-5 ng madaling araw kami nagsimulang umarya ng pangitang at natapos kami ng mga alas-7 at nagbabatak na kami noon ng pangitang nang biglang lumakas ang alon at hangin bandang alas-8 ng umaga,” the fisherman said.
Maglente said his son-in-law was near the missing fisherman at that time while he was a little far away.
He said that after he collected his fishing paraphernalia, he asked his son-in-law where Malobo was. He said that his son-in-law thought that Malobo perhaps already left for the shore.
Maglente said that when he reached the shore at 11 a.m., he found out that Malobo has still not returned so he rushed back to where they were fishing and began searching for the missing fisherman.
He said that he could not exactly say that the incoming vessel hit the banca of the missing fisherman as he was busy pulling his fishing gears and the waves started to become fiercer that time.
Leslie said fishermen were out in the sea in continuous search for her father.
