2 girls drown in river

LUCENA CITY, Philippines — Two teenage girls drowned in a river in this city on Saturday.

Michaela Amargo, 18, and Jana Marie Cadacio, 15, both of Barangay Ibabang Iyam, were declared dead on arival at the Lucena United Doctors Hospital, according to Lt. Col. Romulo Albacea, city police chief.

The victims and their nine friends were swimming in the Morong River in Barangay Salinas when they were carried away by the current.

Albacea ordered village officials to strictly enforce the quarantine rules to prevent residents from going out of their homes.

“Those girls might have thought that since their area is under general community quarantine, they can go out of their houses anytime they want,” Albacea said.