5 die in Black Saturday drownings in Isabela

CAUAYAN CITY — Three young girls, a woman and a man drowned in separate Black Saturday incidents at the rivers of Reina Mercedes town and the cities of Cauayan and Ilagan in Isabela province, police said.

In Reina Mercedes, the bloated remains of an unidentified woman, believed to have drowned on Saturday, was found at 7:15 a.m. on Sunday by villagers in Napaccu Grande village.

The woman wore a black shirt and a pair of white short pants.
In Cauayan City, 12-year-old cousins Rachel Domingo, Carla Jane Maramag and Rhea Labog were swimming at the Cagayan River during a picnic when they were taken away by strong water current and drowned at 12:30 p.m., according to Police Supt. Manuel Bringas, Isabela police investigation section chief.
Marvin Balisi, 27, swam after a drinking spree with friends at the Pinacanauan River in Alinguigan 2nd village when he was dragged down into the deep portion of the river and drowned. JE/rga