12-day search for missing Bukidnon hiker ends

The search and rescue operations for Alkharj Gomez Zamayla, a 31-year-old hiker who went missing on Mt. Kalatungan in Bukidnon province, has been terminated after exhausting all possible search areas without finding any trace of him.

Zamayla, a resident of Jasaan, Misamis Oriental, and a safety officer for a construction company based in Bukidnon, was reported missing after climbing the country's fifth-highest mountain on June 12. He was last seen by his group members at around 10 am on the mountain's summit.

Ryneheart Silva Uy, chief of the Incident Management Team of the Pangantucan Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), said that Zamayla's family and friends have been informed of the termination of the search operations.

According to Uy, Zamayla is an experienced hiker who had climbed the mountain several times before. He was part of a group of five hikers who were on an expedition to scale the mountain.

The search operations were conducted by the Pangantucan MDRRMO, the Philippine Army, and other local authorities. A total of 50 personnel were involved in the search, and several pieces of equipment were used, including drones and helicopters.

The search operations were terminated on June 23, after 12 days of scouring the mountain and its surrounding areas. Zamayla's disappearance has left his family and friends worried and hoping for his safe return.

Uy said that Zamayla's family has been cooperating with the authorities throughout the search operations, and they have been providing information about his whereabouts before his disappearance.

Zamayla's case has raised concerns about the safety of hikers climbing the mountain. The Philippine Army has been conducting regular patrols in the area, and the local authorities have been warning hikers about the dangers of climbing the mountain without proper training and equipment.

The search operations for Zamayla are now considered a recovery mission, with the authorities focusing on finding his remains and bringing him back to his family.