2 BARMM humanitarian workers die in sea mishap

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Two employees of the Bangsamoro government’s Project Tabang died in a sea mishap on Saturday morning, February 8, while on their way to an island town in Tawi-Tawi for a public service engagement.

In an initial report released at about noontime Saturday, the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region identified the fatalities as Muamar Nonongan and Acram Sairila, both ethnic Maguindanaons.

Nonongan and Sairila were in a team supposed to facilitate a humanitarian activity in Tandubas, one of the 11 island towns in Tawi-Tawi, a component-province of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The Tawi-Tawi Provincial Police Office reported to PRO-BAR’s director, Brig. Gen. Romeo Juan Macapaz, that Nonongan, Sairila and other Project Tabang employees were sailing towards Tandubas when the pumpboat carrying them was overturned by sudden big waves, causing their fall into the sea.

Nonongan and Sairila were already both lifeless when they were spotted by rescuers who responded to the incident.

Project Tabang is a public service outfit under the office of BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim.

Regional officials had reportedly directed the provincial offices of different BARMM ministries in Tawi-Tawi to cooperate in transporting the remains of Nonongan and Sairila to Cotabato City for them to be buried in their hometowns nearby.