2 children drown in Quezon river

Two children drowned while swimming with a cousin in a river in Tayabas City, Quezon province, on Sunday, October 26, 2025, police said. FILES

LUCENA CITY — Two children drowned while swimming with a cousin in a river in Tayabas City, Quezon province, on Sunday, police said.

READ: 2 drown in separate incidents in Quezon province

According to Quezon police, the victims — identified only as “Roberto,” 11, and “Gabriel,” 11 — were swimming with their cousin “Janel,” 13, in the Mayao River, which lies along the boundary of Tayabas City and Pagbilao town, at 10:10 a.m.

The children had reportedly gone to the river without their guardians’ permission.

Investigators said that a strong current swept away Roberto and Gabriel into a deeper part of the river. Janel ran to seek help from relatives, but rescuers arrived too late.

Police said Roberto’s body was later recovered from a deep section of the river, while Gabriel’s was found along a rocky portion near the riverbank.

Authorities are conducting further investigation and will subject the bodies to post-mortem examinations to determine the exact cause of death.

For now, police have classified the case as an accidental drowning./coa