Mangyan tot drowns; deaths amid heavy rains in Mindoro now at 6

CITY OF CALAPAN – A Mangyan boy drowned in a creek as heavy rains caused by Tropical Storm “Josie” and the southwest monsoon battered Mindoro, raising the death toll due to the weather disturbance to six in this island.

Supt. Imelda Tolentino, Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan (Mimaropa) police information officer, said Pinoy Edes, 3, from Alangan Mangyan tribe, drowned after he slipped into a creek while playing near Pandurucan River in Sitio (sub-village) Pandurucan, Barangay (village) Pag-asa in Sablayan town, Occidental Mindoro around 5 p.m. Monday.

Tolentino said it was Arcris Canillo, head of the municipal disaster risk reduction management office, who reported about the death of the boy to police. The report said the child was playing outside amid heavy rains brought by Josie and the southwest monsoon (habagat).

On Monday, Tolentino also told the Inquirer that five others died due to Josie.

They were identified as Nina Pernito, 28, and her 1-year-old daughter Janna, who died in a landslide in Barangay (village) Pag-asa; Jessie Manzo, of Barangay Sta. Lucia, who died after being hit by a fallen tree; and Henry Pastor, 20, and Eddie Gado, 40, both of Sitio Maalin in Mansalay town in Oriental Mindoro, who died from drowning.   /kga