6 dead as boat sinks in Laguna de Bay

MANILA, Philippines - Six persons died while nine others were rescued when a motorboat capsized in Laguna de Bay on Thursday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported yesterday. 

The fatalities were identified as Jonalyn Procopio, 43; Eleazar Jacob Manalo, 24; Lester Kent Desoloc, 18; Joan Resureccion, 18; Maria Joylyn Quinola, 18, and Jenald Pailan Sabado, 15.

Reports reaching the PCG headquarters said the boat was carrying 14 passengers, who were on their way to join a “pabasa,” a Catholic tradition of singing verses on the passion and death of Christ.

The boat was headed to Rizal from Barangay Aplaya in Pila, Laguna when it figured in an accident, according to the PCG Laguna de Bay sub-station.

Jerome Carillo of Pila's  municipal disaster risk reduction and management council, told the PCG that one of the passengers was reportedly “horsing around,” causing the boat to tip.

The PCG was forced to terminate the search and rescue for four missing passengers due to bad weather on Thursday.

Yesterday morning, the PCG received reports that the missing passengers were found by fishermen in Victoria, Bay and Calamba.

Authorities are verifying reports that the boat was overloaded.

The boat had only one outrigger, reports said.

Meanwhile, 13 persons drowned in separate areas in Luzon on Friday.

Six and five of the victims were reported in Northern and Central Luzon, respectively, and two in Batangas.

In Pangasinan, Oliver Abaoag, 7, drowned during a family outing in Pozorrubio. He was declared dead on arrival at the Pozorrubio Community Hospital.

In Alcala town, Marjun Alnas, 26, was reportedly drunk when he dived into the Agno River in Barangay Laoac.

Members of a local rescue team rushed Alnas to a local health facility, where he was declared dead on arrival.

In nearby Jacinto town, local tourists found Artemio Villegas, 35, pinned under a rock in Limmingaleng River in Barangay Sta. Cruz.

Reports said Villegas was last seen having a drinking session with his relatives.

In Lingayen, construction worker Louie Aviles, 34, drowned as he was swimming in the Agno River.

Aviles’ cousins said he was carried away by the current, as he was trying to reach the other side of the river.

In Nueva Ecija, Jobet Ortega drowned while trying to rescue his girlfriend in Pantoc Dam in Aliaga town.

In Batangas, Girlie Talag, 6, was found unconscious in a swimming pool in Barangay Nonong Casto, Lemery.

Talag was declared dead on arrival at a hospital.

In nearby Calatagan town, Piolo Pilapil drowned as he was swimming on a beach in Barangay Bagong Silang.

Most of those who drowned in Isabela, Ilocos Sur and La Union were reportedly drunk. – With Eva Visperas, Manny Galvez, Emannuel Tupas, Raymund Catindig