Bukidnon: Army K9 units won public admiration for their role in locating the bodies of two landslide victims in Quezon, Bukidnon, after a five-day search. The bodies of the couple, Ely and Thelma Ubatay, were recovered Thursday by joint search and rescue teams with the help of the dogs named Miyuki, Venom, Paul, and Bella.

According to Philippines News Agency, the dogs received positive comments on Facebook for their bravery, with netizens urging their handlers to provide them good care. Miyuki, the search and rescue dog from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office of Opol, Misamis Oriental, was the first to locate the victims’ locations.

Army Capt. Ariel Asentista, civil-military operations officer of the 89th Infantry Battalion, explained that the K9s Venom, Bella, and Paul were trained by the 403rd Infantry Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division and the 1003rd Infantry Brigade of the 10th Infantry Division. He noted that the Army’s K9 units are primarily deployed for bomb detection but are also trained for search and retrieval operations during calamities. The K9 teams assisted the local disaster risk reduction office in the search that began on October 19.

The Ubatays were the only casualties of the landslide that occurred the evening of October 18. The local government stated that they would be laid to rest Thursday.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is assessing the damage to the Davao-Bukidnon highway, a crucial economic link. DPWH-Region 10 spokesperson Roshelle Novie Cabrido mentioned that district engineers are preparing a program of works for the road’s immediate rehabilitation. “The geotechnical engineering department is currently studying what structure is needed in its rehabilitation, including studying the characteristics of the soil,” she said.