Woman, daughter drown in Balamban

A woman and her eight-year-old daughter drowned after they were carried away by a strong current while crossing a spillway in barangay Hingatmonan, Balamban town Friday afternoon.

Marivic Ybanez, 29, of barangay Lamac, Pinamungahan town, was with her husband Mario and their children 10-year-old Vincent and eight-year-old Rose when the incident happened. The family just came from the Balamban cemetery and was on their way to the house of Marivic’s sister in barangay Camansiles to spend the night there.

They were on board a habal-habal but had to wade in the water along with the habal-habal’s driver because the knee deep water of the six-meter wide spillway caused the motorcycle’s engine to conk out.

Balamban police said that people who want to go to barangay Camansiles must pass the spillway to reach the barangay.

Mario, Vincent and the habal-habal driver reached the other side of the spillway but Marivic and Rose were swept away by the strong current.

PO1 Manuel Gilamon of the Balamban Police said a search and rescue operation was immediately conducted with the help of civilian volunteers but only the body of Rose was found as of yesterday noon at the coastal area of barangay Buswang, 12 kilometers away from barangay Hingatmonan. Rescuers are still looking for Marivic.  — Flor Z. Perolina/QSB