Deaths due to drowning reached 29 on Easter Sunday —PNP

Twenty-nine people have already died in this year’s Holy Week due to drowning, while three others remain missing, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Sunday.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said a total of 56 Holy Week-related incidents have been recorded so far, and 34 of which were due to drowning alone.

She said the PNP started receiving drowning incident reports on Wednesday, March 27, when people started going to provinces in time for the long weekend. Most of these drowning incidents occurred in beaches, private resorts, and rivers.

“May dalawa tayong insidente na near-drowning. Buti na lang ay may mga pulis tayong nandoon kaya naisalba natin ‘yung ibang mga biktima. ‘Yung ibang mga private resort ay, unfortunately, talagang nalunod ang mga biktima,” Fajardo said.

(We have two near-drowning incidents. Good thing, there were police personnel near the area so we were able to save the other victims. In other private resorts, unfortunately, the victims really drowned.)

Calabarzon logged the highest number of incidents at 10. It was followed by the Ilocos Region and Cagayan Valley with six incidents each, and Bicol Region with five.

Twelve children were involved in the drowning incidents, with the youngest being 4 years old and the oldest at 78

As for the three individuals still missing, Fajardo said they were in Rosales, Pangasinan; Jones, Isabela; and Tumauini, Isabela.

Some of the victims were also drunk, she added, while other minors might have been neglected by their parents or guardians.

Of the 56 Holy Week-related incidents, ten were vehicular accidents, four were acts of lasciviousness, four were robbery, one was theft, one was a fire incident, one was frustrated homicide, and another a case of disobedience against a person of authority.

Fajardo said that the PNP is still on heightened alert and police will still be deployed in major thoroughfares, tourist spots, bus terminals, seaports, and airports until Monday, April 1, unless otherwise directed by regional directors. —KG, GMA Integrated News