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Manila: A SIM card found on a body that washed up in southern Luzon helped police identify the victim as a 17-year-old passenger of an ill-fated ferry that sank several kilmetres away in central Philippines on June 21, a local paper said.
Villagers found the girl's body in a pair of pants and an orange life jacket at the shore of Pasacao town in Camarines Sur province in southern Luzon. They also found a 3310 Nokia mobile phone and two pieces of SIM cards in the pocket, Chief Inspector Virgilio Olalia Jr, town police chief of Camarines Sur. told the Inquirer.
"We removed the SIM card and inserted it into a working unit. Before we could make a call, it rang. The caller introduced herself as Amor Torco. She was hysterical. She told me that she had been attempting to call her friend, Diane Laborte, since the news broke that MV Princess of the Stars capsized off Sibuyan Island on June 21," said Olalia.
"The woman was joyful and thankful that the phone rang on July 3. But she was very sad when she learned that her friend was found dead," said Olalia.
"From the woman, we learned that Laborte came from Villa Estelita, Talisay City in Cebu. She was a house helper in Metro Manila and was on her way for a vacation in Cebu," said Olalia. The information helped the parents retrieve the body of their 17-year old girl, said Olalia.
Earlier, residents and authorities of Pasacao town found three bodies of victims of the ill-fated vessel.
The two bodies were identified as of Orlando Langawan Cueva, 61, of Upper Panabang, Cebu City; and Felipe Y. Omandac. Their identification cards were in their pockets.
The Philippine Air Force airlifted the remains of Laborte, Cueva, and Omandac to the rescue and relief centre for the sea tragedy.
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