THE HEARTBREAKING five-day search operation in Bukidnon concluded with a tragic discovery, made possible by the unwavering precision of a specialized K9 unit.
The bodies of the missing couple, Ely and Thelma, who were buried when a portion of the Bukidnon–Davao Road collapsed on Oct. 18, 2025, were finally recovered.
Their location, hidden beneath approximately 10 meters of soil, was first pinpointed by Miyuki, a rescue dog from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) of Opol, Misamis Oriental.
The victims were found in a poignant final embrace, a moment that underscored the tragedy of the disaster.
The all-star search-and-rescue team
Miyuki and its dedicated handler, Dionisio Montemayor Jr., played a crucial role in bringing the search to a close.
They worked alongside other search and rescue (SAR) teams and a dedicated K9 contingent, which included three other highly trained dogs: Venom, Bella, and Paul, provided by the 403rd Infantry Brigade and the 10th Infantry Division.
This successful retrieval highlights the critical and life-saving role of specialized K9 units, often referred to as the “superheroes” of disaster response, whose keen senses enable recovery efforts where human sight cannot penetrate.
