Signs of life detected in collapsed UN building in Haiti

Two days after the powerful quake that hit Haiti, signs of life were finally detected inside the United Nations headquarters in the Hatian capital of Port-au-Prince where three Filipino peacekeepers are trapped. Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. received the good news Friday morning from Lt. Col. Gregory Cayetano, commanding officer of the AFP's Peacekeeping Operations Center based in Camp O'Donnel, Capas, Tarlac. "Nasabi niya [Cayetano] na meron pong proof of life. There's proof of life in the building in the UN building that collapsed at naniniwala tayo na 'yung tatlong remaining peacekeepers ay nandito pa rin sa loob trapped," Brawner said. (He said there's still proof of life. There's a proof of life in the UN building that collapsed, and we believe that the three trapped peacekeepers are inside.) The information relayed by Cayetano to Brawner was from the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs Consulate in Cuba, radio dzBB's Benjie Liwanag said on Friday. Brawner said he was told that after hearing voices and noises, rescuers zeroed in on the second floor of the UN building, formerly the Christopher Hotel. The second floor is where most of the UN offices are located. It is also the area where three Filipinos are believed to be trapped.

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV The three trapped Filipino peacekeepers are Army Sergeant Eustacio Bermudez, Air Force Sergeant Janice Arcena, and Navy Petty Officer 3 Pearlie Tanagi. A fourth peacekeeper, Cpl. David Catacutan was, who was trapped at the Montana Hotel, was earlier pulled out of the rubble. "Maaaring tina-tap ho iyong metal parts or nagta-tap sila sa mga walls or sa mga tubo (It is possible that they are tapping the metal parts of the building or its walls or pipes.) But definitely there's movement inside the building," Brawner told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Friday. Brawner said rescue operations had been intensified in Haiti. Heavy equipment had started arriving in the area, two days after a magnitude-7 earthquake tore down structures in the impoverished Caribbean country. The Red Cross claims that between 45,000 and 50,000 could have died from the tremor. If requested, the Philippine government will deploy additional troops from the 11th Philippine contingent to Haiti, according to Brawner. - MARK MERUEÑAS/ARCS/GMANews.TV