3 drown on Black Saturday in Bataan, Negros Occidental

MANILA, Philippines — Two students in Morong, Bataan and a five-year-old girl in Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental drowned on Black Saturday, police said yesterday.

Reports reaching Brig. Gen. Jess Mendez, Central Luzon police director, identified the victims only as Christian, a 17-year-old Grade 12 student, and Aries, an 18-year-old first year college student.

The two, both residents of Valenzuela City, were swimming on a beach in Barangay Poblacion when they failed to surface.

In Negros Occidental, police said the girl was swimming together with family members at Bago river in Barangay Bunga, Don Salvador Benedicto to celebrate the Lenten weekend.

Her father sought help after noticing that the girl was missing. She was declared dead on arrival at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City.