By Leslie Ann Aquino
The report that Filipino fishermen were among the casualties when a bridge in Taiwan collapsed Tuesday prompted the head of the migrants commission of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines to call on Filipino priests in Taiwan to assist the victims and their families.
Bishop Ruperto Santos
(CBCP / MANILA BULLETIN)
"We urged our priests there to give urgent assistance and services," Bishop Ruperto Santos, chairman of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People, said in an interview.
Santos condoled with the families of the Filipino fishermen and also assured them of their prayers.
The ECMI head also appealed to the Department of Foreign Affairs to investigate the incident.
The Department of Labor and Employment on Wednesday said the Philippine labor office in Taiwan was facilitating the repatriation of the remains of the fishermen, identified as Andree Abregana Serencio and Gorge Jagmis Impang.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III also directed that all possible assistance be extended to the family of those killed in the incident.
Another Filipino fisherman, Romulo Ilustrisimo Escalicas Jr., remains missing.
Five other Filipino fishermen who were injured in the incident were identified as Julio S. Gimawa, Jason N. Villaruel, Allan H. Alcansano, John Vicente Royo and June B. Flores.