2 Filipinos confirmed killed in Haiti quake

A member of the Philippine peacekeeping forces in the quake-ravaged Haiti has been confirmed killed after her body was pulled out from the collapsed headquarters of the United Nations Stabilization Mission.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said the remains of Philippine Navy Petty Officer Pearlie Panangui was among those recovered from the collapsed Christopher Hotel, which was being used as headquarters of the UN Stabilization Mission in the city of Port-au-Prince.

The recovery of the female peacekeeper's body brought the confirmed Filipino fatalities in Haiti to 2.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) earlier said in a statement that the body of Jerome Yap, a United Nations staff member serving with the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti, was recovered 6:15 p.m. Monday (Manila time).

"Mr. Yap's remains were recovered by search and rescue teams amidst the rubble of the Minustah headquarters [in the city of Port-au-Prince] several hours after the bodies of the special representatives of the secretary general Hedi Annabi and several others were pulled out of the ruins," the DFA said in a statement.

It said Yap, a native of Pampanga province, served as an executive assistant to Luis Carlos de la Costa, deputy special representative of Annabi.

The DFA said the Philippine mission has already relayed the sad news to his family in New York and in Pampanga.

The news about the recovery of Yap's body was conveyed by Lt. Col. Lope Dagoy, commander of the 10th Philippine Peacekeeping Contingent, which has been actively participating in search and retrieval operations in the calamity-stricken country.

Meanwhile, 2 Filipinos have been rescued from under the collapsed UN Stabilization Mission headquarters and the Caribbean Supermarket.

Four more, including 2 Filipino peacekeepers and 2 overseas Filipino workers, have been reported missing.

The 2 peacekeepers -- Army Sergeant Eustacio Bermudez, Air Force Sergeant Janice Arocena -- are believed trapped at the collapsed UN headquarters.

Filipina rescued from collapsed supermarket in Haiti

A Filipino has been rescued from a collapsed supermarket in the quake-hit Haiti, the military said Friday.

The military said that according to Lt. Col. Lope Dagoy, commander of the Philippine peacekeeping force in Haiti, the rescued Filipino was Aurora Aguinaldo.

Philippine authorities have yet to get more details about Aguinaldo's identity.

Annalin Maning, a former overseas Filipino worker, earlier told ANC's Top Story that 4 to 6 Filipinos were working at a Caribbean supermarket in Haiti's capital city of Port-au-Prince. She said she used to work at the same supermarket.

Maning also said that her husband and 2 more relatives are working in the quake-hit country. She said she has not received any word from them.

The Department of Foreign Affairs earlier said that a total of 462 Filipinos are in Haiti, including 172 peacekeepers and 290 civilians.

Aguinaldo was the second Filipino to be rescued alive.

Fellow Filipino peacekeepers earlier recovered Army Corporal David Catacutan from the Montana Hotel, which was being utilized by the United Nations.

Tapping sounds

Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner, spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, told reporters Friday that sounds of tapping and crying voices have been heard by Filipino peacekeepers involved in search and rescue operations at UN Stabilization Mission headquarters at the Hotel Christopher.

Brawner said the good news keeps the military in high hopes that Filipino peacekeepers -- Army Sergeant Eustacio Bermudez, Air Force Sergeant Janice Arocena and Navy Petty Officer 3 Pearlie Panagui -- are still alive.

"Naniniwala tayo na buhay pa rin ang tatlo nating peacekeepers (We believe that the three peacekeepers are still alive)," the military spokesman said.

The 3 are believed trapped on the 2nd floor of the collapsed hotel.

Rescue teams from different countries have started to go to the calamity-stricken country, bringing with them heavy equipment for the retrieval operations in several collapsed buildings, including the UN headquarters.

UN's commander for peacekeeping mission Hedi Annabi remain trapped with hundreds of workers at the hotel. At least 17 UN workers have been confirmed killed.

Meanwhile, Brawner urged Filipinos who have relatives working in Haiti not to worry.

"Huwag kayong mag-alala. Huwag kayong mangamba. Ligtas na po ang mga OFW natin sa Haiti (Don't worry. Our OFWs in Haiti are already safe)," he said. With reports from ANC and Ryan Chua, ABS-CBN News

1 of 4 Filipino soldiers rescued from collapsed Haiti hotel

One of the four soldiers trapped inside a collapsed hotel after a devastating earthquake hit Haiti has already been rescued, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

AFP spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. said Corporal David Catacutan was hauled out of the Montana Hotel in Haiti around 11:30 a.m. today.

Catacutan, a member of the Philippine contingent forces in Haiti, sustained slight contusions due to the incident, which was triggered by a magnitude-7.2 earthquake yesterday. He was already brought to his detachment to rest and recuperate from his injuries.

Three other Filipino military personnel — Perlie Panague of the Philippine Navy, Sgt. Janice Arocena of the Air Force and Sgt. Eustacio Bermudes Jr. of the Army — have yet to be accounted for.

But Brawner expressed confidence that they will rescue other Filipino soldiers who remain trapped in Christopher Hotel where the UN headquarters is located.

"The family has been informed about the rescue and last night the members of the families of the others were informed also that their member is still missing but we are hopeful that we will be able to rescue the three others who were believed to be trapped at the second floor of the Christopher building," the AFP spokesman said.

The four are members of the 157-strong peacekeeping contingent in Haiti. - By Dennis Carcamo (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)