Philippines ends rescue efforts as hope fades for victims of building collapse

Authorities in the Philippines called off search and rescue operations after rescuers determined there were no longer signs of life beneath the rubble of a collapsed building that was under construction north of Manila.

ANGELES, Philippines — Lea Casilao and her husband usually began each day exchanging text messages: “Good morning” from her, and his usual reply of “Good morning, love.”

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But on Sunday morning, no reply came.

Casilao said she knew her husband, Joselito, had been staying at the workers’ barracks on Saturday night because they had been messaging until the evening, making it likely that he was among those trapped after a building under construction in the city of Angeles, north of Manila, collapsed at dawn on Sunday.