2 bakery workers drown in Bontoc river

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BAGUIO CITY — Two bakeshop employees who went missing while swimming in a river in Bontoc, Mountain Province, were found dead on Tuesday, June 30, police said.

The victims were identified as Jeremiah Binan Guing-oy, 25, of Mankayan, Benguet, and a 38-year-old resident of Baguio City whose identity was withheld pending notification of his family.

Their bodies were recovered from the Agkhuyo River in Sitio Fengar, Barangay Samoki, after coworkers searched for them Tuesday morning.

Police said the two were among five coworkers who went on a picnic at the river on June 29. At about 3 p.m., the victims swam upstream but failed to return.

READ: Two students drown at lake in Mountain Province

Their companions searched for them until around 6 p.m. before their employer reported them missing to the Bontoc Police at about 7:30 p.m., triggering a search operation.

The Bontoc local government is coordinating with the local governments of Mankayan and Baguio City to assist the victims’ families and transport the remains. Authorities also appealed to the public to refrain from posting insensitive comments about the incident. /mcm