Body of Ilonggo nurse killed in NZ quake identified

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — The remains of one of the two missing Ilonggo nurses trapped in a building that collapsed in February 22 earthquake in Christchurch City in New Zealand has been identified.

The body of Valquin Bensurto, 23, from Jaro District in Iloilo City, was identified among those recovered from the collapsed Canterbury Television (CTV) Building, Bensurto’s elder sister Ronisa Bensurto-Agraviador told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in a telephone interview on Wednesday.

Agraviador said her brother was identified on Sunday through his dental and medical records and DNA samples taken from their father, Rodolfo, who was in New Zealand.

“We have accepted his fate. It’s very painful for us but we leave it to Him,” Agraviador said.

She said despite his tragic fate, her brother was happy when he went to New Zealand last February because he wanted to work there.

“He was a good brother and son and we will love him always,” Agraviador said.

Bensurto was the youngest and only boy among three siblings.

His close friend and classmate at the St. Paul University in Iloilo, Mary Louise Amantillo, who is from Balasan town in Iloilo, remained missing.

The two left for New Zealand on February 12 to work as nurses and they were among the Filipino nurses who were taking language lessons at the CTV Building as a requirement for their employment.

New Zealand authorities had earlier said that all those missing were presumed dead after they called off the rescue operations.

Agraviador said they still did not know when her brother’s remains would arrive in Iloilo because their father was still processing the documents and other requirements. (report from Nestor P. Burgos Jr., Inquirer Visayas)