BAGAC, Bataan- Police and other rescuers retrieved Monday two bodies bringing to five the number of drowning victims confirmed dead while swimming Sunday along the South China Sea adjacent to the RM Bay Beach Resort in Old Saysayin, Bagac, Bataan.
The latest bodies recovered were those of brothers Elmer, 20 and Gilbert Delima, 18. Parents Manuel and Marietta Delima who have been waiting at the beach since Sunday cried while confirming the bodies were those of their two children.
Insp. Marlon Martin Cudal, Bagac police chief, said the bodies of Gerald Sumaya, 20; Raymil Pascua, 20 and Kenneth Hansen, 22, were retrieved Sunday at 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., respectively.
“Pinapayuhan namin ng ibayong pag-iingat ang mga beach resort owners na dapat may lifeguards at laging nagpapaalaala sa mga bisita sapagka’t may panahong biglang lumalakas ang alon dito at ng nakaraang mga taon ay may nalulunod, ” Cudal said.
The bodies of the first three victims were on the seabed near where they were swimming while those of the two brothers were seen floating more than a kilometer from where they drowned. They were all from Sapang Palay, Bulacan.
Dr. Hector Santos of the Bagac Community and Medicare Hospital said that based on examinations, there was no foul play and the three died of drowning. They were declared dead on arrival.
Marietta Delima recalled that her son Elmer entrusted to her his cellphone and went straight to the beach with 10 others only 30 minutes after they arrived at the beach resort. “’Nay pakitabi ang cellphone ko, ang sabi ni Elmer sa akin,” she said.
Seeing the waves were turbulent, she said she cautioned her son “huwag ka munang maliligo dahil malakas ang alon.” Elmer answered “’Nay, magbabasa lamang kami, “ the last words the mother heard from her son who was the first to be engulfed by the strong waves and pushed towards the deep portion of the sea.
She said that she shouted for help but the barrio people that time were engrossed in their fiesta. She learned that her other son Gilbert tried to save his elder brother but he too, with the others, was sucked by the strong under water current.
The mother said she was told by one of the survivors that while being sucked by the waves, he saw a nun carrying a pail before he collapsed. Barrio folk when asked about this said two nuns swimming in the area two to three years ago got drowned and died.
Maricris Delima said “mababaw lamang ang tubig na nilusungan na halos hanggang tuhod lamang ng 11 naming kasamahan na pawang magkakamag-anak o magkakaibigan kabilang ang limang nasawi.” She pointed to the portion of the beach where the 11 stayed and where the first three victims were recovered. “Kaya lamang mas malakas ang alon kahapon kesa ngayon,” she said.
She said they were all in a bus coming from Sapang Palay, Bulacan in their yearly excursion to different beach resorts in Bagac. It was their first time in RM Beach Resort.
“Wala na ang anak kong si Elmer na nag-graduate sa high school at pangarap na makatapos ng fine arts,” the mother said.
May Nazareno, caretaker of the RM Beach Resort, said owner Resty Diaz promised assistance to the victims.
In Morong, Bataan, Justen Visda, 17, of Novaliches, Metro Manila also died of drowning Sunday at 10 a.m. while swimming at the Primera Aplaya Beach Resort. Report showed that victim was first brought to the Morong Health Center and later transferred to the James Gordon Memorial Hospital in Olongapo City but was pronounced dead on arrival by attending physicians.
The latest bodies recovered were those of brothers Elmer, 20 and Gilbert Delima, 18. Parents Manuel and Marietta Delima who have been waiting at the beach since Sunday cried while confirming the bodies were those of their two children.
Insp. Marlon Martin Cudal, Bagac police chief, said the bodies of Gerald Sumaya, 20; Raymil Pascua, 20 and Kenneth Hansen, 22, were retrieved Sunday at 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., respectively.
“Pinapayuhan namin ng ibayong pag-iingat ang mga beach resort owners na dapat may lifeguards at laging nagpapaalaala sa mga bisita sapagka’t may panahong biglang lumalakas ang alon dito at ng nakaraang mga taon ay may nalulunod, ” Cudal said.
The bodies of the first three victims were on the seabed near where they were swimming while those of the two brothers were seen floating more than a kilometer from where they drowned. They were all from Sapang Palay, Bulacan.
Dr. Hector Santos of the Bagac Community and Medicare Hospital said that based on examinations, there was no foul play and the three died of drowning. They were declared dead on arrival.
Marietta Delima recalled that her son Elmer entrusted to her his cellphone and went straight to the beach with 10 others only 30 minutes after they arrived at the beach resort. “’Nay pakitabi ang cellphone ko, ang sabi ni Elmer sa akin,” she said.
Seeing the waves were turbulent, she said she cautioned her son “huwag ka munang maliligo dahil malakas ang alon.” Elmer answered “’Nay, magbabasa lamang kami, “ the last words the mother heard from her son who was the first to be engulfed by the strong waves and pushed towards the deep portion of the sea.
She said that she shouted for help but the barrio people that time were engrossed in their fiesta. She learned that her other son Gilbert tried to save his elder brother but he too, with the others, was sucked by the strong under water current.
The mother said she was told by one of the survivors that while being sucked by the waves, he saw a nun carrying a pail before he collapsed. Barrio folk when asked about this said two nuns swimming in the area two to three years ago got drowned and died.
Maricris Delima said “mababaw lamang ang tubig na nilusungan na halos hanggang tuhod lamang ng 11 naming kasamahan na pawang magkakamag-anak o magkakaibigan kabilang ang limang nasawi.” She pointed to the portion of the beach where the 11 stayed and where the first three victims were recovered. “Kaya lamang mas malakas ang alon kahapon kesa ngayon,” she said.
She said they were all in a bus coming from Sapang Palay, Bulacan in their yearly excursion to different beach resorts in Bagac. It was their first time in RM Beach Resort.
“Wala na ang anak kong si Elmer na nag-graduate sa high school at pangarap na makatapos ng fine arts,” the mother said.
May Nazareno, caretaker of the RM Beach Resort, said owner Resty Diaz promised assistance to the victims.
In Morong, Bataan, Justen Visda, 17, of Novaliches, Metro Manila also died of drowning Sunday at 10 a.m. while swimming at the Primera Aplaya Beach Resort. Report showed that victim was first brought to the Morong Health Center and later transferred to the James Gordon Memorial Hospital in Olongapo City but was pronounced dead on arrival by attending physicians.
