2 brothers jump to their death from vessel

ILIGAN CITY — Brothers Ronaldo and Ricardo Canoy jumped to their death from an inter-island vessel here Sunday night after sending off their sister who was bound for Manila.

Authorities said Ronaldo, 37, and Ricardo, 31, apparently failed to heed the "puera bisita" or the call for non-passengers to disembark from the M/V Dipolog Princess and decided to jump off just as the vessel was readying to depart the city’s wharf.

The bodies of the Canoys, both security guards, were found Monday afternoon, according to Lt. Cmdr. Alex Germinia, chief of the city’s Coast Guard detachment.

Coast Guard frogmen and personnel of the National Power Corp., Philippine Ports Authority and the local Rescue 811 suspended their rescue operations late Sunday due to poor visibility.

Authorities were baffled why the two brothers failed to heed the "puera bisita" call aired over the ship’s public address system and why they jumped off from the vessel’s rear where the propeller was already in motion.

A police source, however, quoted a witness as saying that security personnel had allegedly ordered the two to jump. But this claim has to be corroborated, the source added.

The Canoys’ stepbrother Jaime Jumawan, who accompanied them but stayed at the wharf, said he shouted at Ricardo not to jump even as the vessel was still about 30 meters from the pier.

Witnesses said Ronaldo jumped afterwards but was engulfed by the waves. Ricardo almost reached the wharf but drowned.

Germinia said he has instructed representatives of Sulpicio Lines, owner of M/V Dipolog Princess, to submit a report on the incident and the so-called "maritime protest" as a matter of procedure.