3 schoolkids drown in river
ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Three 13-year-old girls drowned when they went swimming in a river at Barangay Dawis of Dingle town in Iloilo, late Monday afternoon.
Police identified the fatalities as Glaiza Biaco, Karen Jane Cabucos, and Donna Amor Provido, all Grade 7 students of Mater Carmeli School in that town.
Senior Insp. Ramon Coriana, Dingle Police chief, said the incident was reported to the police around 3:50 p.m. “We immediately asked residents to help us in scouring the area to rescue the victims,†he said.
One hour later, Biaco’s body was found. Shortly after, residents also recovered Cabucos. They were rushed to the hospital but were declared dead on arrival.
Members of the Tiger Mountains Rescue Group then helped in the search and rescue operations until early morning of yesterday. As the rescuers were taking a rest, it was reported that Provido’s body was found at Brgy. Sinipaan, a kilometer away from where they reportedly drowned.
Coriana said that the swimming activity was not sanctioned by the school. The victims, along with some classmates, went to school Monday even if there were no classes due to the commemoration of the EDSA People Power Revolution.
“They will have an activity so they decided to practice for their presentation. But later that afternoon, the nine girls opted to go to the river instead of going straight home,†Coriana said. Five of them went swimming.
Coriana said the victims’ classmates tried to rescue the three but they slipped from eroding soil of the river, which was murky and had strong current. (FREEMAN)
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