‘Miraculous’ water draws more people to Brgy Basak

CEBU, Philippines - Despite laboratory findings showing E. coli bacteria in the “miraculous water” seeping out from the chapel of Señor San Roque in Sitio Laguna, Barangay Basak-Pardo, more people are flocking to the area yesterday.

Renaldo Limbaga, chapel adviser, said it is even attracting more people from outside Cebu City. Limbaga told dyLA that people from as far as Mindanao came to their chapel bringing water containers.

He said they tried to discourage them from drinking the water but people were insisting that it has miraculous power.

"Amo na na silang gi-warningan nga nag-positive ang tubig sa bacteria. Mo-ingon man sila nga bahala’g naay bacteria basig ang bacteria daw ang nakaayo nila," Limbaga said.

Several people claimed to have been healed from their illnesses after drinking the water.

A child from Mandaue City was allegedly healed after drinking the water. The boy allegedly had a swollen feet and a heart condition. Another was Marites Castroverde, resident of the place, who claimed to have been healed because of the “miraculous” water.

Castroverde said her foot was scheduled for operation at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center after it was inflamed because of punctured wound.          

She did not come back on the scheduled date because of financial constraint and instead used the water to wash her wound. Castroverde said the wound has started to heal without having to submit to a surgery. She, however, admitted having taken antibiotics.

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Cebu Water District is conducting further leak test to determine the source of the water.

    The MCWD leak detection team was scheduled to perform the test last night. MCWD spokesperson Charmaine Rodriguez-Kara said they have already shutdown the water valve the other night but the water continue to flow.

"Basin ang leaking naa gyud siya sa ilalom kay daghan kaayo og pipelines sa area. Mao na that we will do another leak detection test na sad," Kara said.

People started lining up in the area to fetch water from the chapel believing that it has supernatural power. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon and Ricsel Jazon Mañanita (FREEMAN)