Officials Tuesday confirmed that one Filipino UN worker had been found dead in Haiti following last week's quake, the country's first fatality from the disaster. Five more Filipinos – including three UN peacekeepers and two women working in a supermarket – were still missing, foreign ministry officials said in an interview with radio station DZBB. The body of Jerome Yap, identified as executive assistant to the deputy head of UN mission in Haiti was found in the ruins of the Christopher Hotel, which had housed the UN headquarters in Haiti, the officials said. There were more than 400 Filipino civilians in Haiti, including people working for UN agencies, when a massive quake hit that country on Jan. 12. The Philippines also had a 172-strong contingent in the UN peacekeeping force, comprising police, soldiers, and military observers. The body of Yap was recovered early Monday evening, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila said. Interviewed on GMA News' Unang Balita, DFA spokesman Ed Malaya said the remains of Yap were retrieved at 6:15 P.M. Monday, Philippine time. Yap's body was recovered from the rubbles of Christopher Hotel, a few hours after the r remains of other nantionalities were found, including those of mission head Hedi Annabi, deputy Luis Tacosta and Chinese Ambassador to Haiti Shulin Wang. “His sibling in New York is also in touch with the UN secretary about arrangements for his remains,” Malaya said. Yap's family in Pampanga had been contacted, and arrangements were being made on what to do with the body, he added. “His family will decide on whether his body should be sent home or not,” Malaya said in Filipino. The family would be receiving retirement benefits, he added. Five Filipinos remained missing – Petty Officer 3 Pearly Panangui, Sergeant Janice Arocena and Sergeant Eustacio Bermudez, all members of the RP peacekeeping force in Haiti; and Grace Fabian and Geraldine Lalican, who both worked at the Carribean Supermarket. Malaya added that Philippine Ambassador to Havana Macarthur F. Corsino arrived in Haiti capital, Port-Au-Prince, Monday to help in relief and search efforts for missing Filipinos.
