Teen dies while trying to save drowning cousin

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A 17-year-old boy died while trying to save his drowning cousin during a family outing in a beach resort in Leganes, Iloilo.

The incident happened around 12:30 p.m. on March 12 but the body of Joshua Reynor Lo, a resident of Barangay Bito-on Jaro Iloilo City, was found almost four hours later.

Members of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary, Mountain Tigers Rescue Group, and Leganes Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) scooped out Lo’s body some 40 meters away from where he was believed to have drowned.

He was rushed to Metro Iloilo Hospital and Medical Center Inc. in Jaro, Iloilo City but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Lo’s cousin, 17-year-old Raven Arguelles of Barangay Bito-on, Jaro, survived the incident.

According to reports, the family went swimming at Playa de Jaen Beach Resort at Barangay MV Hechanova when the incident happened.

Arguelles was seen taking a dip around noontime. Shortly later, he was seen gesturing for help.

Lo and another cousin, 24-year-old Louie John Bestido, came to his rescue.

Captain John Robles, Leganes police chief, said the waves were too strong for the duo to tackle.

Residents also tried to help out.

In the end, it was Arguelles’ father who was able to rescue him. It was then that relatives noticed that Lo was nowhere to be found.

Rescuers were later called on to look for him.

Lo was indeed found albeit too late.