PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — A female Australian traveler suffered a 10-centimeter laceration on her knee after accidentally slipping on a shallow ascent of Taraw Cliff in El Nido town, northern Palawan.
In a report released late Saturday evening by the Coast Guard Station (CGS) El Nido, the victim was identified as 24-year-old Australian national Gabrielle Lauren Philips.
Philips was said to be trekking on the cliff at Sitio Puting Bato, Barangay Buena Suerte in El Nido, when she lost her footing, slipped, and cut her right knee on a sharp stone edge.
Ensign Harvey Marmol, commander of the CGS in the municipality, said the victim was accompanied in the hike early in the morning by her 22-year old companion, Kane Philips.
“Philips fell down due to the slippery surface of the cliff and suffered an injury to her right knee. It was Kane, who immediately informed the incident to a certain Lito Elemento who called for help,” Marmol said.
He said the rescue was tricky for them because of the sheer vertical nature of the trail going up and getting down the cliff.
Marmol said it was raining in the morning of Saturday when Philips and her companion went up Taraw Cliff, where most tourists like to go to get a good view of Bacuit Bay and the whole municipality.
“Umulan kanina, baka isa ‘yan sa naging cause [ng pagkadulas] (It rained a while ago, maybe it’s one of the causes),” Marmol said.
Philips was immediately flown to Manila for further treatment. –PNA
