CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Two minor girls, described by their families as best friends and Grade 7 students, died after drowning while reportedly swimming in the Iponan River in Barangay Pagatpat on the afternoon of November 1.
The victims, aged 12 and 13, were reportedly among a group of four children who had gone to the river in Zone 3, Barangay Pagatpat. Initial information indicated that the two girls were already in critical condition when they were pulled from the water and were no longer showing signs of breathing.
Efforts were made to rescue and revive the victims, but they could no longer be saved.
The tragedy left the victims’ families devastated, with relatives witnessing attempts to revive the two children after they were brought out of the river.
One of the victims’ mothers, identified as Ma’am Tata, said the two girls were best friends and that they were believed to have been with two other children when they went swimming.
Another mother, Ma’am Grace, said the children had reportedly asked permission to attend church. The families were therefore shocked when they later received word that the girls had drowned.
The mothers also said the children were not known to know how to swim, raising further questions about how they ended up in the river.
The families are now appealing to the two other children believed to have been with the victims, as well as to anyone who witnessed the incident, to come forward and provide information that could help authorities and the families establish the full circumstances surrounding the drowning.
A rescuer identified as Francis said two people approached him and asked for help in rescuing the victims. Despite being informed after the girls had already been in danger, he said he immediately responded to the call for assistance.
Francis also said he had previously warned students against swimming and jumping into a section of the river or dike area, where young people were reportedly known to gather.
The incident occurred on All Saints’ Day, a holiday when many families were observing religious traditions and visiting loved ones, making the sudden deaths of the two young students even more devastating for their families.
As of the initial reports, authorities had yet to publicly establish the complete sequence of events that led to the drowning. The appeal for witnesses and the other companions to come forward remains central to efforts to clarify what happened before the two girls were pulled from the Iponan River.
The incident underscores the dangers posed by rivers and other bodies of water, particularly for minors who may enter deep or hazardous areas without adequate supervision or swimming skills.