21 dead from road mishaps, drowning during Holy Week

MANILA, Philippines — Twenty-one people have died from drowning and vehicular crashes across the country during the Holy Week break, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported yesterday.

Col. Jean Fajardo, the PNP’s chief information officer, said 19 people perished in drowning incidents from March 25 to 30. Of the number, seven are from Calabarzon.

The other regions with reported deaths due to drowning are Cagayan Valley with three, Ilocos, Central Luzon and Western Visayas with two each and Bicol, Eastern Visayas and Davao with one each.

Three people were rescued from drowning, Fajardo said.

Two people died and three were injured in vehicular mishaps in Central Luzon and Bicol.

Among those who died was a 13-year-old boy who drowned at Jarina Brion Resort in Barangay Sta. Monica in San Pablo City on Wednesday.

The victim, whom police identified as Jacob, was found by his mother floating in the pool of the resort at around 12:30 p.m., police said. The boy was pronounced dead on arrival at the San Pablo City General Hospital.

Another casualty of drowning was Rodemar Magtubo, who jumped into a river in Barangay Alipit in Sta. Cruz, Laguna on Thursday. Magtubo was binge drinking with his relatives when he swam in the river. He was found dead after an hour.

The PNP has fielded over 52,000 police officers for the Holy Week, a security coverage which will remain until April 1.

Fajardo said they documented two robbery incidents in Central Luzon and Eastern Visayas where two people were victimized. Five cases of child abuse, four in Calabarzon and one in Central Luzon, were also recorded.

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC), meanwhile, assisted 4,277 people during the Holy Week.

The PRC said 4,049 people went to first aid stations to have their vital signs checked while 160 were treated for minor cases such as abrasions, abdominal pain, elevated blood pressure, headache and hypertension.

Twenty-eight were treated as major cases, 17 of whom were transported to hospitals. Forty also availed of the services at the PRC’s welfare desks.

The PRC has over 2,000 staff and volunteers on field work during the Lenten season.

With drowning listed as one of the top five leading causes