Manhole gobbles up schoolgirl

A seven-year-old schoolgirl walking in the rain after classes were suspended due to heavy rains fell into an open manhole last Tuesday afternoon in Caloocan City.

At presstime, authorities were still looking for victim Janela Ugalisco of Phase 10-A, Package 3, Block 48, Lot 20, Bagong Silang, Caloocan City.

PO2 Julian Chavez, officer on case, said the incident occurred at around 3 p.m. along the road as the victim and her schoolmates, who were on their way home from school, were frolicking in the rain.

Chavez said Ugalisco fell into the submerged open manhole and was swiftly sucked down by raging floodwaters. The officer said the drainage canal lead to the Marilao River in Bulacan. – Jerry Botial