DFA confirms third Filipino fatality in Maui wildfires

Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza identified the latest casualty as Salvador Coloma, a 77-year-old Filipino citizen in Maui. (File Photo By Patrick Roque, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

MANILA – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday confirmed another Filipino fatality in the devastating wildfires that broke out on the island of Maui, Hawaii early this August.

Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza identified the latest casualty as Salvador Coloma, a 77-year-old Filipino citizen in Maui.

“The Consulate has reached out to a relative of Mr. Coloma to extend its profound condolences and to offer support and assistance,” she said.

“So far, there are three confirmed Filipino casualties of the wildfires in Maui: Alfredo Galinato, Rodolfo Racunan, Salvador Coloma,” she added.

The Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu is currently verifying the nationality of other reported casualties.

The consulate’s records yielded negative results for Conchita Sagudang, 75, and Danilo Sagudang, 55, but Daza said information online points that they are from Abra province.

Online information likewise indicates Antonia Molina, 64, and Carlo Tobias, 54, have relatives in the Philippines. However, the consulate’s records also yielded negative results.

Meanwhile, Daza urged the relatives of affected Filipinos to contact the consulate at its hotline number +1808 253-9446 to allow the foreign service post to verify its records of reported Filipino casualties or other distressed Filipinos, and to provide assistance as required.

“Once again, the Philippine Government extends its deepest sympathies to the families of all the victims of the wildfires and will continue to provide assistance to the next of kin of Filipino nationals affected by this tragedy,” she said.

A series of wildfires burned thousands of acres since it struck Maui, hitting the coastal town of Lahaina hard and leaving at least 115 dead and over a thousand more missing.