7 drown in Northern Luzon

MANILA, Philippines — Seven persons drowned in separate incidents in Northern Luzon on Friday.

The fatalities included four in Cagayan, two in Pangasinan and one in Isabela.

Reports said that Santiago Supnet Jr., 45; Rogie Evilla, 35; Jhon Jericho Doran, 11, and Janica de Luna, 7, were carried away by the current as they were swimming in the towns of Solana, Sto. Niño, Lal-lo and Pamplona, respectively.

Doran, De Luna and their families were having a picnic in the Cagayan River where the incident occurred.

Police said Evilla and Supnet were seen having drinking sessions with their friends before they decided to swim.

Meanwhile, in Pangasinan, Julian Cordova, 62, drowned as he and his friends were swimming in the Agno River in Mangatarem town.

Cordova, a resident of Pasay City, was vacationing with a relative in Barangay Cabayaosan.

Reports said he and his friends had a drinking session before they decided to take a dip in the river.

Cordova was declared dead on arrival at the  Mangatarem District Hospital.

In nearby Dasol town, Lota Ebidag, 20, reportedly failed to resurface after she dived in a swimming pool in Barangay Petal.

Reports said Ebidag and her boyfriend had a drinking spree before they went to the pool.

Ebidag was found unconscious under the water by her boyfriend, who rushed her to the Dasol Community Hospital where she was declared dead on arrival.

On the same day, Gomer Karlo Balanon, 18, drowned in the Abuan River in Ilagan City, Isabela.

Balanon was declared dead on arrival in a hospital. – Raymund Catindig