CEBU, Philippines - Two cousins drowned when they went swimming Wednesday morning at a river in Brgy. Poblacion Sur of Sigma town in Capiz.
The bodies of the victims, John Mike Garcia, 11, also of Poblacion Sur, and his cousin, Reynante Progio, 10, of the hinterland village of Uyong, were found 40 minutes after they were believed to have drowned. They were rushed to the hospital but did not survive.
The two gradeschoolers, together with their 12-year-old cousin, swam at around 7 a.m. at the foot of Panay River. The elder boy went ahead of the two but was surprised to find no one when he returned.
John Mike's mother later found her son floating near the area where they went for a swim while another neighbor dived and fished off Progio's body.
Senior Insp. Ramil Entereso, chief of Sigma Police, said the cousins asked permission from their parents to swim. Unknowingly, the three went to the river and took a dip. The two might have suddenly hit a deeper portion of the river causing them to drown, he added. (FREEMAN)