Lazy afternoon swim leaves 3 teens dead in Taguig

What was supposed to be a fun Saturday afternoon swim in Laguna Lake turned tragic for three teenagers in Taguig City.

Senior Supt. Arthur Asis, Taguig police chief, said the three youngsters—Regielyn Policarpio, 11; John Patricio Cantor, 13; and Abegail Ababon, 15—drowned in the lake near the Hagonoy pumping station off Barangay (village) Upper Bicutan.

All three were residents of the barangay who had joined four other teenagers in going for a swim, Asis told the Inquirer.

The incident happened at 4:20 p.m. on Saturday but was reported to the police only on Sunday.

“We only learned about it through some residents in the area. Investigators went to the families of the victims to know what actually happened,” Asis said. The bodies of the three were also recovered without the help of the police.

Word about the drowning reached officials in Barangay Upper Bicutan and Hagonoy also only on Sunday.

The police said the three might have been sucked in by the water’s strong current.

“Normally, someone is guarding the Hagonoy pumping station. I wonder why no one was around last Saturday,” Asis said.

A teenager who was with the victims but survived said there were seven of them in the group although the other three went home ahead of them.

She added that while she and the victims were swimming in the lake, they were holding on to each other when one of them was pulled by the strong current.

She said they tried to save their friend but the victims drowned. She was saved by an adult who came to her help, she added.

Asis said the portion of the lake near the Hagonoy pump was 15 feet deep.