CEBU, Philippines - Three kids, two of them aged five and another six, drowned in separate incidents in the towns of Liloan and San Remigio recently.
In Liloan town, victims five-year-old Maria Theresa Mag-usara and her cousin six-year-old John Peter Catobay were attending the birthday celebration of their grandmother, Vicenta de Jesus, at a beach in Barangay Cotcot, Liloan, when the incident happened.
Investigation conducted by the Liloan police revealed that both victims were at the beach together with their relatives Sunday afternoon.
PO2 Ronald Rosello said that as the relatives enjoyed the occasion, Mag-usara and Catobay reportedly went to the water without the knowledge of their parents.
The victims allegedly went to a deeper portion of the water and both did not know how to swim.
It was only around an hour later, when the families of both victims started looking for them.
“Nalingaw ang mga kauban naalinggat na du-gay nabantayan,†Rosello said in a phone interview.
A brief search was conducted by victims’ families before the two were found floating in the sea around 2 p.m.
The victims were rushed to the Liloan Community Hospital but were declared dead on arrival.
In another incident, another five-year-old drowned in the waters off Sitio Soso, Barangay Luyang, San Remigio town, Monday afternoon.
Mary Joy Baflor was with her playmates when they decided to swim in the sea around 8 a.m.
Baflor’s playmates failed to notice she had disappeared until a few minutes later when they saw her floating and unconscious.
Children immediately informed Baflor’s aunt, Bebiza Baflor who then informed the mother, Hilaria Baflor. Dr. Orleta Ursal, municipal health officer, declared the victim dead. — (FREEMAN)