3 children drown during baptism rites in Isabela town

ECHAGUE, Isabela — Three children drowned during a baptism rite at the Cagayan river on Tuesday (April 5) in Barangay (village) Pangal Sur here, police said.

Jerico Saturno, 10; Angel Opelada, 11; and Angelica Saturno, 13, were swept by strong river currents while being baptized by local pastor Ferdinand Nemenzo of the Heritage Bible Baptist Mission at 10 a.m., said Supt. Narciso Paragas, Isabela police intelligence chief.

Nemenzo said he was able to save a fourth child, Marvin Pascual, 13.

The three children were fished out of the river and brought to the Prospero Bello Medicare Hospital in Jones town where they were declared dead.

Nemenzo said he secured the permission of the children’s parents before bringing them to the river to be baptized.

Police said they have not received word from the parents if they were intending to sue the pastor for their children’s deaths.  SFM