ILOILO CITY – Secretary Benhur Abalos of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Black Saturday joined a dive team conducting a follow-up search operation for the missing Ati leader who fell off a fishing boat off the coast of world-famous Boracay Island.
DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos (right) joins the dive team searching for Ernesto Coching, a leader of the indigenous Ati people in Malay town, Aklan province. Coching has been missing since April 5 when a speedboat of a posh hotel in Boracay Island collided with his fishing boat. (Benhur Abalos Facebook)
In a Facebook live video, Abalos, a certified diver, confirmed that they did not find 60-year-old Ernesto Coching, a leader of the indigenous Ati people in Barangay Cubay in mainland Malay town, Aklan province. “The water current is very strong,” Abalos added.
The search operation is being conducted by the Philippine Coast (PCG), the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Maritime Group, and the Malay Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (Malay MDRRMO).
Coching has been missing since Wednesday night, April 5, after a speedboat of a posh hotel and resort collided with his fishing boat with his son-in-law Ricky Valencia on board.
The PCG was able to rescue Valencia that night but did not find Coching.