5 drown in Oriental Mindoro, Batangas on Holy Thursday

BATANGAS, Philippines – Five people drowned in separate incidents here and in Oriental Mindoro on Holy Thursday, police said.

In Calatagan, Batangas, high school students Nijel Caaliwara, 14, and Jake Dino, 16, drowned off the Villanueva Beach Resort.

Police said the victims’ companions tried to rescue them but to no avail. They were rushed to the Medicare Hospital but were pronounced dead on arrival. 

In Oriental Mindoro, three people drowned while swimming in a river in Calapan City.

Superintendent Christopher Abecia, Calapan City police chief, identified the fatalities as Efren Dimaano, 43, his daughter Abegail, 13, and Jemelyn Zoleta, 14. 

Abecia said the bodies of the two teenagers were retrieved on Good Friday while Efren’s was found on Black Saturday.

Police said the victims were swimming in the Bucayao River when a strong current washed them away.

Meanwhile, in Palawan, Naval Forces West rescued two foreigners on board a yacht off Arreceffi Island in Sofronio Española town Saturday morning.

The foreigners were identified as Ruben Staver, an American, and Foo Hay Chim, a Singaporean. – With Juancho Mahusay