A 14-year-old girl and the boyfriend of her sister who tried to save her drowned in a river at Purok Tan-ag Damsite, Murcia, Negros Occidental, 2 p.m. on Black Saturday, April 3.
The police identified the fatalities as Jomae Baltazar Hernaez, 14, of Purok Tumpok, Barangay Blumentritt, Murcia, and Jose Jerry Pamaloan, 22, of Purok BM, Barangay Taculing,. Bacolod, a report furnished by Mayor Gerry Rojas said.
Hernaez accidentally slipped off a stone in a deep section of the river and was swept away by strong current.
Pamalaon tried to save the 14-year-old but strong current dragged him into the canal tunnel of the National Irrigation Authority dam, the police reported.
The victims were found at the other end of the tunnel and were brought by Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office personnel to the Murcia Municipal Health Unit where they were pronounced dead on arrival by Dr. Raymund Antonio Maguad.*