Police extend search for missing climber in Bukidnon

A volunteer whiles the time away on his phone as he waits for deployment. Over 100 soldiers, policemen, local guides, rescuers, and volunteers have been searching for Alkharj Gomez Zamayla, a mountaineer who has been missing since 12 June 2026. MindaNews photo by JB R. DEVEZA

CAGAYAN DE ORO (MindaNews / 19 June 2026) — Police in Northern Mindanao have extended the search for missing climber Alkharj Gomez Zamayla by 10 days, as his family continued their vigil in Barangay Portulin, Pangantucan, Bukidnon.

Zamayla, a resident of Jasaan, Misamis Oriental, was reported missing after he got separated from a group of hikers while climbing Mt. Kalatungan on June 12.

Major Joan Navarro, spokesperson for the Police Regional Office 10, noted that investigators learned the 31-year-old Zamayla is a professional industrial safety officer who has even given lectures on wilderness survival.

Bukobuko sa Anay (Termite’s Back), the ridge leading to the peak of Mt. Kalatungan. MindaNews file photo by H. MARCOS C. MORDENO

“He has the skills and knowledge to survive in the mountains. We also took pity on his family,” Navarro said.

She said should Zamayla remain missing after the 10-day extension, operations will be downgraded from search and rescue to a retrieval mission.

“The search will continue, but the presumption will be that we are looking for a body,” she said.

A thermal imaging drone will be deployed as more volunteers arrived at the rescue base camp at the barangay hall in Portulin on Thursday.

Skunk Works of the Team CDO 4×4 Club said they will fly the drone over densely vegetated areas of Mt. Kalatungan to detect heat signatures.

Drones from other organizations, including Del Monte Philippines, were deployed earlier in the week but failed to locate the missing climber because these were not equipped with thermal imaging. (Froilan Gallardo/MindaNews)