Two persons drowned and five others were rescued in southern Negros Occidental on New Year’s Day.
The fatalities were identified as Justine Alostor de Leon, 8, and Junjun Solomon, 22, Commander Ludovico Librillia, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Negros Occidental chief, said today, January 2.
De Leon and his three siblings were walking along the beach in Barangay Asia, Hinoba-an, at about 7 a.m. of January 1 when their father, Benjie de Leon, noticed that they had gone into the water, Maj. Clifford Batadhay, Hinoba-an police chief, said.
He immediately ran to rescue them but Justine went missing while Joshua, 10, was rushed to the Eleuterio T. Decena Memorial Hospital and is now in stable condition, Batadhay added.
The PCG found the body of Justine at 10:10 a.m. and he was declared dead at the hospital.
Solomon of Barangay Calasa, Kabankalan City, drowned at Belgium Resort in Barangay Talaban, Himamaylan, Negros Occidental, Librilla said.
The PCG also rescued two beachgoers in the waters of Barangay 1, Hinoba-an at about 3:05 p.m. Librilla said.
Rescued were Jhondel Apolinario, 28, and John Albert Pamentoan, 12, of Barangay Pakul, Bago City, who were on vacation in Hinoba-an.
At about 3 p.m., the two went swimming and were carried away by a strong current but were immediately rescued by the PCG, Librilla said.*