DepEd clarifies Laguna drowning incident involving 4 youths

The Department of Education (DepEd) has clarified that the four youths who drowned in Biñan, Laguna, last Monday were not delivering learning modules.

"According to the police report, they (victims) went out to deliver clothes to the fisherman father of two of the victims. This was confirmed by the fisherman father himself," DepEd said in a statement.

This contradicted the claim made by the mother of one of the victims during an interview with GMA News.

"On the day of the incident, the public was informed that schools were closed due to recent typhoons and flooding and thus, retrieval of the learning materials were also suspended," DepEd pointed out.

DepEd expressed its condolences to the families of the victims.

"We are saddenened to learn about their sudden passing, and we are sending our deepest condolences to the grieving families and friends of the victims as we pray for their eternal repose," it said.

DepEd division superintendent Edna Faura-Agustin meanwhile quoted Biñan Mayor Wilredo Dimaguila as saying tha the drowning incident had no relation to school requirements.

"Mayor Wilredo Arman R. Dimaguila Jr., the city mayor of Biñan, has been monitoring the said incident and has stated that the incident has no connection with the school requirements," Agustin said.

"The mother claimed that she made a mistake in saying that the child was going to submit the modules," Agustin added. --Jamil Santos/KBK, GMA News