BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Two people died in separate drowning incidents in Negros Occidental on New Year’s Day.
The first incident happened in the town of Hinoba-an. Eight-year-old Justine De Leon went out swimming with his father and three brothers at a beach in Purok 4 in Barangay Asia.
It was too late when the father noticed that his sons were drawn by strong waves.
Personnel of Philippine Coast Guard (PSG) substation immediately conducted a rescue operation, managing to rescue Justine’s brothers.
Justine, however, was later found lifeless and was rushed to the Eleuterio T. Decena Memorial Hospital in the said town where he was eventually declared “dead on arrival.”
The second case occurred at the Belgium Beach Resort in Sitio Batang in Himamaylan City’s Barangay Talaban.
From what the PSG-Negros Occidental gathered so far, Junjun Solomon, 22, was having a drinking session with his family when he decided to go for a swim at around 11 a.m.
A few minutes later, Solomon was found unconscious floating at sea. Solomon was rushed to the Governor Valeriano M. Gatuslao Memorial District Hospital but the attending physician declared him “dead on arrival.”/PN
