DENR forester missing after being swept away by Sierra Madre river in Quezon

LUCENA CITY––A forester from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was reported missing Thursday, Oct. 28, after being swept away while crossing a river in the Sierra Madre mountain ranges in General Nakar town in Quezon province, police said Friday.

The General Nakar police identified the victim as Rigor Santos, 30, a forest monitoring officer assigned at the DENR office in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon).

The police report quoting information from three DENR workers said they were with the victim on the way around 8:30 a.m. to Pagsangahan village to survey and monitor a government plantation project in the area, but had to cross the Agos River to get there.

The police said the group swam a section of Agos River in Sitio (sub-village) Binugawan in Barangay Mahabang Lalim, but Santos was carried away by the strong current.

His companions tried to save Santos, but to no avail, as he was swept away by the raging river.

As of Friday morning, Santos had yet to be found.

The General Nakar disaster risk reduction and management office had alerted all village officials along the river to monitor its shores for the possible sighting of Santos. INQ

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