3 kids drown in open pit at San Fernando

CEBU, Philippines - Three minors drowned while swimming in an open pit filled with stagnant water at a construction site in Casa Mira Subdivision in Barangay Pitalo, San Fernando, Saturday afternoon.

The bodies of Ringgo Cañedo, 10, his brother Rodrigo Jr. 7, and their cousin TJ Ybañez 7, were fished out from the pit by Samuel Lara, a nearby resident, at around 4 p.m.

According to SPO1 Rolando Bastida of Pitalo Police, the Cañedo brothers had asked permission from their mother to go swimming. But the mother was not aware that her children will swim at the standing water in the said area.

Lara said that one of the boys from their neighborhood had seen the three children jump led into the pit.

Police estimated that the water has a depth of 6 to 7 feet.

Victims were brought to Carcar City District Hospital but were declared dead on arrival.

San Fernando chief Senior Inspector Adrian Nalua said that they had scheduled a meeting today (Monday) with the representative of Casa Mira Subdivision, Barangay Pitalo officials, and the family of the victims to see if a settlement can be reached.

Nalua adds that if the family decides to file a case, police will conduct further investigation to determine if there is negligence on the part of the subdivision's management.

He also said that he talked with the representative of the subdivision who said that the site still does not have a perimeter fence while their security guard on duty was assigned only at the front of the site.

"Kani kay construction site, bawal sad gyud ang musulod. Pero kung mukiha, study-han if naa ba’y negligence unya probably civil case ra ni siya, ug mukiha," he said.

Nalua added that the subdivision's management is willing to cooperate with the police. (FREEMAN)