Teen drowns during San Juan excursion

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A 14-year-old girl drowned to death during a family outing in Dumangas, Iloilo.

The body of Andrea Nicole Abenir, a resident of Barangay Cayos, Dumangas, was found more than four hours after she was reported missing.

Major Joven Arevalo, Dumangas police chief, said Abenir went swimming with some family members on June 24 at a secluded area in Sitio Punta Pulao, Barangay Bantud Fabrica.

Apart from the feast of St. John the Baptist, which was usually marked by swimming, that day was also Bantud Fabrica’s fiesta.

Arevalo said the area was not a resort but an open sea between Zarraga and Dumangas.

He explained that police had been patrolling areas where people usually go swimming, an activity barred while Iloilo province is on modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) status.

“Maybe, it wasn’t a planned excursion. Somebody could have brought up the idea until several family members went to Bantud Fabrica to swim,” Arevalo said.

At 11 a.m. Thursday, Abenir was seen swimming in the water some 40 meters from the shoreline.

Relatives claimed they saw her waving her hands as she tried to stay afloat.

Arevalo said family members tried to rescue the girl but could not reach her location because of the strong water current.

Members of the Dumangas Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard were called for the search and rescue operation.

Her body was found 3:30 p.m. at the bottom of the sea where she was last seen alive. She was taken to Ramon Duremdes District Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Relatedly, another man was reported drowned morning of June 23 at Sitio Nipa, Barangay Bay-ang, Ajuy, Iloilo.

Efren Mahinay Jr., 39, also a resident of the said place, went into dive fishing around 8 a.m. Wednesday.

He failed to surface after that.

His body was later found 7:30 a.m. the following day.