BALANGA CITY — The 10-year-old boy reported missing Monday while swimming at the Alauli River in Pilar, Bataan was discovered floating on the side of the river in a village here.
Residents saw the naked body of Jade Wishly Tabigue floating at the side of the dike below a small tree in Barangay Cupang Proper early Wednesday morning.
“Ulo ang una naming nakita, akala ko niyog,” Charito Galang said, adding that they immediately reported the matter to barangay officials.
The woman said that divers were in the area Tuesday but they did not see the body apparently because of the murky water.
Randy Rivera, another resident, pointed to the exact spot where the body of the victim was seen floating.
“Gusto ng anak kong mag-pulis, yan lagi niyang sinasabi sa akin,” Wilfredo Tabigue said.
“Nagpapasalamat ako sa lahat ng nagdasal at tumulong. Nakita na ang anak ko. Sobrang kaawaawa ang anak ko nang makita ko. Iyak ng iyak ang asawa ko,” the father said.
Jade Wishly, Grade 5, was the second to the eldest of three children of Tabigue and wife who is in Saudi Arabia as domestic helper.
He said that he accompanied his son to school Monday morning and he did not know that the boy skipped his afternoon classes.
“Matagal ko nang pinagbabawalan ang anak ko na huwag maliligo sa ilog. Binata pa lang ako alam ko na nangunguha ng bata ang ilog,” the father said.
The victim was with three other children who went swimming at the Alauli River Monday at 1 in the afternoon.
Two of the boys left early leaving behind Jade Wishly and another kid.
While swimming, the two were swept by strong current.
A man fishing saw the other boy shouting and saved him but Jade Wishly was nowhere to be found.
Teams from the Metro Bataan Development Authority, Pilar and Balanga City rescue and the Philippine Coast Guard combed a two-kilometer-long portion of the river from Alauli to Santa Rosa in Pilar but to no avail.
Divers said they were hampered in their operation by strong undercurrent.
Chief inspector Jeffrey Onde, Pilar police chief, headed the rescue operation.
