2 boys drown in Villamor lagoon

MANILA, Philippines - Two boys reportedly drowned in a man-made lagoon at the Villamor Air Base golf course in Pasay City Thursday night.

Pasay police chief Senior Superintendent Raul Petrasanta identified the victims as Benjie Nuelan and Charles Maravillo, both 10 years old and fourth-grade students at the Villamor Air Base Elementary School.

Initial investigation showed that at about 6:30 p.m., the two boys, together with a third companion, Resmond Daquel, 13, snuck into the golf course and took a dip in the lagoon.

Police said that after 30 minutes, Daquel noticed that Nuelan and Maravillo were missing, and sought the help of construction workers in the area.

The bodies of the victims were fished out of the 10-foot-deep lagoon after an hour and were brought to the nearby Veronica Funeral Parlor for autopsy.

Petrasanta said it is possible the victims were not good swimmers and exposed themselves to danger by going to the lagoon.     – Rhodina Villanueva