12 drown in Calabarzon on Holy Week – police reports

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LUCENA CITY – Twelve persons drowned in separate incidents on Good Friday and Black Saturday (April 7 and 8) in Batangas, Cavite, Laguna and Quezon provinces, police reports said on Easter Sunday, April 9.

Batangas police said in a report that six picnickers were walking on the shallow part of the sea in Barangay (village) Sambal Ilaya in Lemery town at around 3 p.m. on Saturday.

But they were suddenly sucked into a deep part of the water, causing them to sink together, the report said.

They were rescued and taken to Batangas Provincial Hospital but five of them died while on the way.

Three of the fatalities were females aged 11, 17 and 18, while the other one was a male, 17. They were all not identified in the report for being minors.

The other victim was identified as Mark John Espulgar, 23.

Danilo Tubal, 47, survived and is in stable condition at the said hospital.

In another part of Lemery, police reported that Juanito Tiples, 61, also drowned in a separate incident. The unconscious victim was found floating in a shallow part of the sea in Barangay Matingain around 12:30 p.m. also on Saturday.

He was taken to the nearest hospital but expired along the way.

Police said the victim, who was allegedly drunk, was earlier advised by barangay patrollers to stay away from the water. But the victim apparently ignored the reminder.

In Nasugbu town, also in Batangas, police said Rexie Detaonon, 30, was swimming in a river in Barangay Munting Indang on April 7 at around 2 p.m.

He was dragged by a strong current to a deeper portion of the river and sank. He was taken by rescuers to the nearest medical facility but was declared dead on arrival.

In Lian, Batangas police reported that a 17-year-old boy also drowned in a beach resort in Barangay Lumaniag on the morning of Good Friday. The victim also expired on the way to the hospital.

Meanwhile, in Quezon province, police reported the deaths of Gelo Villarin and Erwin Dimaano from alleged drowning.

Villarin reportedly drowned in a river in Atimonan town on Saturday afternoon. He was brought by his mother to a local hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

Dimaano, who was allegedly drunk, momentarily left his drinking buddies to check on his fish cage on a nearby river bank in Barangay Lalig in Tiaong town on Saturday afternoon but failed to return. His dead body was found floating in the river the next morning.

The Calabarzon police reported that Jhon Aquiles Villena drowned on Saturday in Calamba City, Laguna.

Police said the victim and his friends went for a swim in a river in Barangay Kay-Anlog at around 1:30 p.m.

One of the victim’s companions spotted him when he suddenly sank and failed to float. He died while undergoing treatment in a hospital.

In Naic, Cavite the Calabarzon police also reported that one Carl JM Dualan also drowned in a river at around 5:45 p.m. on Saturday.

The victim was with her family at a picnic when he accidentally slid and fell into the river. He died while being taken to a hospital.

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4 Calabarzon drowning incidents on Black Saturday 

JPV