First Responder

It was a lazy afternoon, I can't recall much of the date but it was a week after Baguio City and its neighboring provinces were devastated by Typhoon Cosme. We just finished a week of clearing operations around the city and we were back in the base where most of us probably chill or should I say "tambay" since there's not much activity during that day. As one of the volunteers, we tried to make our selves busy with reports and the like about our clearing operations and the incident reported and responded by my team.

My team just finished our most blessed meal during the day, our lunch, with the usual "sea foods" or "de sabog" viand, they call it "SARDINAS" or sardines in layman's term lol. After the we finished our lunch, its time for desert, our undying devotion of cigarette smoking after meals. Well not all of us are smokers, there are maybe...one or two in our team who doesn't (I don't know if they do smoke now lol). Outside the office, we were there puffing the magic dragon in our lungs. Some sited, some squatting, some standing...we waited for the day to pass...

1300H, the phone rang...its been a mannerism for most of us to shut up and look at the phone while it was ringing. The world stopped for us at that moment. A teammate answered the phone and as he looked at us while talking to the person on the phone, we saw the dreaded smile. Right there and then we knew that we need to gear up and were up to something. While getting ready and gearing up, he discussed about the call. It was from another office requesting for assistance. At first we were told that it was a vehicular accident somewhere at Marcos Highway (now Palispis-Aspiras Highway...but who gives a damn bout the new name) and that the vehicle ditched into a ravine. Not much information given, yet we proceeded to the scene with our most trusted and reliable government vehicle, an old Toyota van which we nicknamed Super 6 (as it's license plate ends in 6).

* Side story: Rumors has it that somebody died in that van when it was still being used by another government agency. They say a security guard died in that van due to carbon monoxide suffocation when he went in to sleep with all windows closed one night (the weather here in Baguio is really cold, maybe that's why he closed all windows...we assume). Another was the reported heart attack of a the previous driver of the said vehicle (now we have Ghost Riders in our van, we call our guardians because the vehicle tend to malfunction if used other than lawful purposes). BTW, Super 6 is not an ambulance nor is it equipped with such equipment related to the later. It's just a an ordinary van stuffed with ill-equipped but effective volunteers. Now on to the scene.

While on our way, I just don't know why it seems like an ordinary day for us with all of us sharing some stupid jokes while the siren is on lol. When we reach the site of the incident as described in the phone call, there were the BCEMS, Tuba Police, SOCO, BB-PICAG and some by standers in the area. A lot of people were there, but most of them are just on the side of the road looking down on the ravine. We approached the crowd and look into where they are looking at as the crowed stared at us with...I don't know how to describe their facial expression (not all, but some...as if we are not welcome). At around 200 meters or so below, on an 85 degrees inclination, there were the Scene Of the Crime Operatives (SOCO). The ravine is filled with garbage since its the most comfortable way to dispose garbages (just throw it in the highway). While looking down the ravine, we can't see any vehicle that ditched into it. Then one of us approached a doctor who is responsible in autopsies and ask him what's going on. The doctor replied and said there's a salvage victim down there (in the dictionary, salvage means to save if i'm not mistaken, but here in the Philippines, salvage is the dreaded word to substitute the words "Summary Execution"). Our team look at each other and said with a common understanding of the nature of our presence in there, it's a "Recovery and Retrieval Ops."

We waited for the SOCO to finish their sole duty of securing the crime scene and gathering evidences. When they had finished what they need to do, our team decided to descend and do what we can. So we suited up and got some ropes and equipment we needed (as if we have a lot of it lol). With it, our ill-equipped team descended. There's no other way to reach the cadaver other than to climb down on a very steep slope with the use of what else than our most valuable equipment, rope. Three of us went ahead first to assess the situation down there, one of us stayed to secure everything from equipment to vehicle (nothing much that valuable in there lol) including our life line, the rope. As for me, I suited up and got ready to descend, when I realize, I need to bring additional rope, a body bag and a spine board (we don't have stoke basket since were poor). I scratched my head and ask my self  'how can i go down there with all this equipment?" With no further ado, down I go. Strapped my backpack and hydration pack, slung the spine board on my shoulder then began my descent. While going down, I didn't have any idea how to get down there without falling down or becoming a victim my self. I managed to get in the middle and there was a small flat area where we could rest, tossed the spine board down to the others and continued my descent. Whatever happens, one must not let go of the rope since nobody falls upwards. Near the spot where the corpse lie were our ever supportive and reliable Fiends from BB-PICAG (they are the pioneers in every aspect of what rescue groups do now here in Baguio, veterans of the public service). We were all glad to see each other in an uncomfortable place...again! (but its always home for us lol). We took a look at the corpse, then somehow, we tried to understand his situation. The corpse was in rigor mortis or advanced state of decomposition. As per info from the SOCO, the victim has nine(9)stab wounds, a slit throat and signs of torture as evident in the barb wires in his legs, from knees going down to the foot. The corpse was at least 3 weeks old said the SOCO team leader. We assumed that the corpse was dumped in the ravine a week before Typhoon Cosme bashed the City of Baguio. The people who did that kind of& inhumane act to the victim really made it sure that the victim wouldn't survive or if the victim did survive, how will he climb up that 200 meters ravine... Now were set to secure the corpse, but before that, we needed to do something on the corpse to dither maggots, flies and of course minimize the smell. Since we don't have any lime, nor gasoline with us down there, we radioed for anything that we could pour onto the corpse to minimize its smell since we were all puking every minute or so. Somebody up along the road tossed us a bottle of liquid whitening detergent(I wonder what is that detergent doing in that place or who brought it with him/her). After pouring such, the detergent just aggravated the odor and we were likely to puke every second lol. We rushed to quickly secure the corpse, put it on a body bag, secure it on the spine board and start to ascend, but thats easier said than done, with the description by one of the SOCO, the corpse is at least 5'7" in height medium built...Just imagine how much weight is that multiplied three times in a decomposing state.

While securing the corpse, the inevitable happened. It started to rain, with our location, garbage and water started to gush down from up road. We needed to hurry since its becoming more and more difficult for us to ascend as it rains harder and harder. As we are about to ascend, the SOCO pulled out and left us to ascend with the corpse on our own. Our team and the BB-PICAG team just look at each other, smiled and started to ascend.

We were almost up the road, little did we and the people below know that another team of ours is up there securing and helping in the ascend by establishing secure rigging and pulling the rope up. Finally, I got up at the side of the road, while one of us stayed near the corpse and assist it while they are both being lift up.

My team and I were so relieved when we finally got the corpse up by the side of the road. We were happy that we weren't alone as we thought before when we were still down the ravine. There were another team of ours, and other services. Finally the corpse could get proper care while awaiting to be claimed by next of kin.

Our former OIC brought with him our famous Gin in the Philippines, a bottle of 4x4 or we call it "Kuwatro Kantos" (Four Corners) as the bottle is shaped as the name says. He thought were gonna drink it once, but we used it to wash our hands and as a mouth wash to his amazement lol.

The Chief of Police of Tuba, Benguet approached us and gave his thanks. He told us that they don't have the capability nor the personnel to do such bidding that's why they called for help in the City of Baguio. As token of his gratitude to the men who solved his problem which started at 0900H in the morning, he invited us for a late lunch or early dinner. We went to "Kumiles."

"Kumiles" a brand name or a store name or whatever, is a popular restaurant here in Baguio City, along Marcos Highway and some other branches, serves only, if not most of the time, "dog meat." We consider our selves fortunate to dine in such restaurant because "dog meat" is part or the cultural delicacies here in the highlands (don't want to know how the process of obtaining dog meat goes lol). Time to eat. They served us with boiled and seasoned cracked dog head, lots of dog broth or "SABAW" and plenty of chilly peppers + extra rice! Not all of us eat dog meat but for most us, we enjoyed our meal and those who don't just settled for the broth and rice lol. After finishing our meals, we bid farewell on the Police Officers of Tuba and SOCO, BB-PICAG and we were RTB.

The corpse was later taken to the funeral services and a week later, somebody claimed the remains and identified it as their relative who had gone missing for a week before the typhoon. We couldn't confirm it but rumors has it that the poor victim went to sell some farm products to one of the markets here...and he never returned home since then. Finally, his remains can be laid to rest and a proper burial at his home town.

A day after our retrieval and recovery ops, me and a team mate of mine were sharing our insight about what could have happened to the man. Yet, he told me about a disturbing fact which he heard and witnessed himself. He told me that while he was up securing our few equipment and our reliable van, came a radio reporter who is from a well known radio station here in Baguio. He told me that while the reporter was talking live in his two-way radio and reporting live to his station, the reporter mentioned a name of an entity or group that does the same thing as we do but uses the media for their own gain, saying that that group was first on the site and that they were there doing what we were doing. My team mate told me he wanted to slap the radio reporter with his own radio for reporting false information to his station and to the people listening. We also found out that the reporter is a member of that group he mentioned in his live report. For truth's sake, it was only him who was there from his group. Though, we wished the reporter's group was there to help us, but to them its just another publicity, taking the credit from whom other people put their lives on the line.

"First Responders" - because we did something to better the situation or accomplish something. We were not even the first to be there, and being a First Responder, doesn't mean you need to be the first. We just do what we do best as individuals, as a team. We are not recognized by media, nor do we need such recognition. We prefer like we didn't exist, low profile but doing most of what we can to make a difference. We do not claim anything nor ask credit, were just happy to help in doing it...and we like it that way! Sa inyo na yang media exposure at kasikatan niyo, sa amin ang respeto ng mga tao! (Your group can have the fame and media exposure, we'll settle for the respect of the people). Like we give a rat's @$$ about it.

Credits to the men and women of:
Tuba PNP, Baguio City SOCO, BCEMS, BB-PICAG, CDCC/CDRRMC, 11th RATSS PAF