• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Philippine Coast Guard reported six drowning fatalities in Western Visayas, as the feast day St. John the Baptist, locally known as San Juan, was celebrated on June 24.
Of the six drowning incidents, one each were reported in Negros Occidental and Guimaras, as well as two each in Iloilo and Aklan provinces, according to Coast Guard Cmdr. Jansen Benjamin, spokesperson of the Coast Guard District Western Visayas.
Negrense Joseph Ragasa, 28, was reported to have been swimming at the Malogo River in Hacienda Teresa, Brgy. Alicante, EB Magalona, Negros Occidental, after a drinking spree with his friends, when he was reported missing.
The victim was found later floating by personnel of the Municipal Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Office of EB Magalona, about 20 meters away from the portion of the river where he was swimming.
He was immediately brought to the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City, where he was declared dead on arrival at the hospital by Dr. Gilbert Alojado, according to a report of the EB Magalona Police Station.
The oldest drowning victim was Rolando Arias Tañada, 65, with place of incident recorded by Coast Guard as Brgy. Namocon, Tigbauan, Iloilo, and Ragasa is the youngest victim.
The drowning incidents took place as PCG personnel and rescue groups in different local government units were mobilized to secure the festivities.
PCG-Western Visayas reported that they had recorded 23 drowning incidents in the region as of this month, excluding the six additional fatalities.*
