CABANATUAN CITY – Five elementary students from a public elementary school here died of drowning in a river while some parents and teachers were holding a pre-graduation meeting Friday afternoon.
The victims were identified as Tonton Mari, John Oligario, Portia Duquez, Joyce de Jesus, all grade 3 pupils and Renier Mendoza, grade 2; all of Barangay Macatbong this city.
Supt. Eliseo Cruz, city police chief, said the victims were pronounced dead on arrival by the doctors at the Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center.
Investigation disclosed classes were dismissed at about 3:00 p.m. Friday for a parents-teachers meeting. The group of pupils, some of them in honor list, went to the nearby river for a swimming.
Lorna Mendoza, mother of Reinier, said her son told her that they will just play baseball in an open field. She was surprised they went to the river.
Her 8-year-old son, according to witnesses saved his classmate, Heartly Delim, but died when he returned to the waters to save another drowning companion.
“Ganun din yung isa pa. Nagsagipan sila,” Mendoza said.
About 12 children actually went to the river but some of them did not swim on the deeper portion, said some of the students.
“Tapos na silang maligo sa mababaw e parang me umaya sa bandang malalim,” Mendoza said.
Mark Anthony Duenas and his group were also swimming in a distant portion of the river when they heard the kids shouting for help. They rushed to the site but recovered three of the children who are already dead.
The victims were identified as Tonton Mari, John Oligario, Portia Duquez, Joyce de Jesus, all grade 3 pupils and Renier Mendoza, grade 2; all of Barangay Macatbong this city.
Supt. Eliseo Cruz, city police chief, said the victims were pronounced dead on arrival by the doctors at the Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center.
Investigation disclosed classes were dismissed at about 3:00 p.m. Friday for a parents-teachers meeting. The group of pupils, some of them in honor list, went to the nearby river for a swimming.
Lorna Mendoza, mother of Reinier, said her son told her that they will just play baseball in an open field. She was surprised they went to the river.
Her 8-year-old son, according to witnesses saved his classmate, Heartly Delim, but died when he returned to the waters to save another drowning companion.
“Ganun din yung isa pa. Nagsagipan sila,” Mendoza said.
About 12 children actually went to the river but some of them did not swim on the deeper portion, said some of the students.
“Tapos na silang maligo sa mababaw e parang me umaya sa bandang malalim,” Mendoza said.
Mark Anthony Duenas and his group were also swimming in a distant portion of the river when they heard the kids shouting for help. They rushed to the site but recovered three of the children who are already dead.
