Death toll rises,
more help urged
DECOMPOSING BODIES FOUND
BY CARLA GOMEZ & NESTOR P. BURGOS JR

Appeals for donations for the thousands of victims of typhoon “Frank” were aired yesterday as the death toll, and number of houses and properties reported destroyed continued to rise in Western Visayas.

The death toll in Western Visayas rose to 223 yesterday with 219 still missing. Another 105 were injured, according to a report of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council yesterday. But the figures are believed to be higher with more bodies found by search and rescue teams throughout the region and as far as Masbate yesterday afternoon.

Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra called for donations for the Typhoon Frank victims to be brought to the Diocese of Bacolod Social Action Center at the Bishop’s House in Bacolod City.

The number of Negros Occidental fishermen found dead rose to seven yesterday, Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante said, but the figure is believed to be far higher as survivors of Typhoon Frank told of their harrowing struggle to stay alive as they watched their companions disappear into the sea.

Andres Cabus, 42, captain of the MV Laura Roldan of Old Poblacion, Escalante, and his crew members Pedro de la Cruz, 53, and Esmeraldo Mata, 40, of Cadiz City yesterday spoke of  how they hung on to makeshift life rafts for three days and two nights.

And of how  they watched their companions exhausted and weak from lack of food and water let go to be swallowed by the sea.

Villanueva argues with a CLO member after their station was padlocked*

The Bacolod City Legal Office enforcement team implemented closure orders yesterday morning against F-Channel 13 for lack of a Mayor’s Permit, and the Warehauz Restaurant for allegedly engaging in child prostitution.

F-Channel 13 is located at Lacson-B.S. Aquino Drive and Warehauz Restaurant (formerly Sid’s Bar) is along Lacson-21st Street in Bacolod City.

City Legal Officer Allan Zamora yesterday said F-Channel 13 has not been issued a Mayor’s permit to engage in business in Bacolod City due to under-declaration of gross income or gross receipts.