2 drown in Pangasinan province on Easter Sunday

DAGUPAN CITY — Two people drowned in Pangasinan on Easter Sunday, raising the province’s number of drowning victims since Good Friday to 10, police said on Monday.

In Mabini town, Jose Supangan, 18, swam to cross the Balincaguing River in the town’s poblacion at about 11 a.m. when he drowned. He was declared dead on arrival at a hospital in Alaminos City.

The Balincaguing River is one of Pangasinan’s major river systems, originating from the Zambales mountains and traverses the Pangasinan towns of Mabini, Burgos and Agno before draining out to the West Philippine Sea.

In Santa Maria town, Noel Vino, 49, drowned minutes after he plunged into the Agno River in Barangay Santa Rosa at 2:15 p.m.

Vino was with a group of relatives for an Easter Sunday picnic and was already drunk when he decided to swim.  Vino died on the way to a hospital.

Based on police reports, four people drowned in Pangasinan on Good Friday while another four drowned on Black Saturday. Gabriel Cardinoza