2 boys die, 2 missing in Cavite flash flood

Camp Vicente Lim, Laguna , Philippines  – Two boys were killed while two of their playmates were missing when they were swept away by a flash flood in Dasmariñas, Cavite Monday afternoon, police said.

Superintendent Marcos Padilla Jr., Dasmariñas police chief identified the fatalities as Jerry Milalios, 12, and Daryl Revilla, nine, both residents of Barangay Paliparan, Dasmariñas, Cavite.

Still missing were Kent Brian Revilla, 11, and his younger brother Kobe Mel, six.

According to reports, the four victims together with seven other children were reportedly playing and catching crabs in the Pasong Buwaya Creek in Barangay Paliparan when raging water swept them away around 2 p.m.

At around 10 a.m. yesterday, the body of Daryl Revilla was recovered in Barangay Salawag, around three kilometers away from the place they were playing.

Revilla suffered a fractured skull with several cuts and bruises in his body when he was recovered.

Four hours later, rescuers from the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Navy and the Philippine National Police recovered the body of Milalios, at the river along Barangay Anabu in Imus town, around eight kilometres away from Barangay Paliparan.

Authorities said seven other children were immediately rescued by the responding emergency response units of the government.

“Bigla nalang lumaki ang tubig, hindi naman umuulan dito sa lugar namin nung maganap ang trahedya,” Alberto Nieto, acting head of the Disaster Coordinating Council of Dasmariñas said.

Nieto said the large volume of water causing the flash flood could have possibly streamed down from high places like Tagaytay and Silang.

As of presstime, rescuers continue to scour down the rivers in Cavite to look for the two missing Revilla brothers, authorities said.

Daryl was brought to Dolor Funeral Homes while Jerry Milalios was brought to St. Jude Funeral Homes for autopsy.

In related developments, another 12-year-old boy was reportedly drowned while six of his companions were still missing when they were swept away by flash floods along Barangay Pansol river in Barangay Sampaloc 4, Dasmariñas, Cavite, early Monday morning.

Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad, Calabarzon police director, said one of the victims was identified as Fernando Socito, resident of Bahay Pangarap Subdivision, Barangay Sampaloc 4.

Palad said Socito’s six unidentified companions were still missing , adding that they were all children aged 12 and above.

According to Senior Superintendent Alfred Corpus, Cavite police director, the children were catching crablets when flash floods hit and drove them away toward Manila Bay. Corpus said the incident took place at around 2 a.m., Monday, when the children decided to go to Pansol to swim and catch crablets when they met the tragedy.

The Philippine Coast Guard, local authorities led by Padilla Jr., town police chief and other local fishermen were conducting search and rescue operation around the river and nearby rivers particularly in Manila Bay.   – With Dennis Carcamo, Evelyn Macairan