The bodies of four minors who drowned while swimming in two separate incidents in Negros Occidental have been found following search and retrieval operations.
On Monday morning, the cadaver of eight-year-old Jerome Guguan of Himamaylan City was recovered just under the bridge of Luguay River a day after he was reported missing.
According to a report of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-Negros Occidental, the boy went swimming at Himamaylan River on Sunday afternoon.
He was reported missing at around 3 p.m. after he was swept by strong current brought by heavy rains.
When his body was retrieved, the boy was identified by his father, the report added.
In this city, three teenagers also drowned after swimming in Simulong River in Abkasa, Barangay Mandalagan along the boundary of Talisay City on the afternoon of July 15.
The victims were identified as Karl Gabrielle Cabrillos, 16; Janet Rodriguez, 16; and Jarren Pahilagao, 15.
Following the search and retrieval operations conducted by personnel of the Talisay City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the body of Rodriguez was found in Purok Tumpok on Thursday, July 16. On the morning of July 17, the cadaver of Cabrillos was recovered along the shore of the same area.
Pahilagao’s body was found along Talisay’s Matab-ang River in Barangay Zone 15 at about 3 p.m. on Friday.
The three victims were part of a group of six teenagers, who went swimming. When a flash flood occurred, they were swept away by waters while the three others survived. (Nanette Guadalquiver, photo by BCPNA)
