ILOILO – Two persons died in separate drowning incidents in this province on Black Saturday, April 20.
The first case happened in Barangay Agdayao, Passi City. The 19-year-old Ramy Lozada, a resident of Barangay Agdayao, went out swimming with friends and relatives.
Companions noticed his disappearance around 12:05 p.m. They searched for him in vain.
The Passi City police was alerted and a search and rescue team was dispatched.
Lozada’s body was eventually found and brought to the Don Valerio Palmares Sr. Memorial District Hospital in the city where he was declared dead.
From what the police so far gathered from friends and relatives, Lozada appeared drunk but went out swimming anyway.
The second case happened at San Roque Beach Resort in Barangay San Juan, Barotac Viejo town. The drowning victim was 65-year-old Antonio Antin of Barangay San Lucas, Barotac Viejo.
Companions started looking for Antin around 12:15 p.m. when they were preparing lunch.
They found the body and took it to the Gov. Niel D. Tupas Sr. District Hospital where Antin was declared dead.
Police Colonel Marlon Tayaba, Iloilo police director, said his office had been warning the public a week before Holy Week not to drink liquor then go swimming.
“Hindi tayo nagkulang sa pagbigay ng paalala kasi baka malunod sila,” Tayaba said.
Overall, the Holy Week was generally peaceful across Western Visayas, declared Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) director, Police General John Bulalacao.
“There were no major incidents except for reported vehicular accidents,” said Bulalacao.
He commended the public’s cooperation with the police that set up assistance desks in strategic locations such as bus and jeepney terminals, seaports and airports./PN
