Mountaineer rescued in Batangas

Batangas, Philippines  â€“ Police and volunteer groups yesterday rescued a 32-year-old mountaineer who went missing on Mt. Malipuño in Lipa City, authorities said.

Senior Inspector Joel Laraya, public information officer of the Batangas police, said Joey Vergara, along with seven companions, trekked the mountain last June 16.

Laraya said the group though decided to descend from the mountain later that day but Vergara chose to stay behind for unknown reasons. 

Since then, Vergara had failed to communicate with his group until his father Jess reported the incident to the police last Wednesday, prompting Senior Superintendent Jacinto Malinao, Lipa police chief, to deploy two rescue teams to locate him with the help of volunteer mountaineers.

Vergara was found past noon yesterday in the vicinity of Biak na Bundok in Malarayat Range in Barangay Talisay, Lipa City. 

Malinao said Vergara sustained a bullet wound from a shotgun used by local hunters to trap wild animals in the mountain.                 – With Ricky Bautista