Two young girls, aged 14 and eight, tragically drowned in a pond while gathering snails in Barangay Colo, Batac City, Ilocos Norte.
Incident Details
According to initial investigations, the girls ventured into the deeper part of the pond. “Talagang pumunta sila don para manguha ng mga kuhol. Nadulas yung dalawang bata hindi naman marunong lumangoy,” stated LTCOL Adrian Gayuchan, Chief of Police of Batac City Philippine National Police (PNP).
Despite attempting to call for help from the mother of one of the victims and other companions who were also gathering snails, the pond’s remote location hindered timely assistance. The girls were eventually spotted by nearby construction workers who rushed to help, but it was too late.
Rescue Efforts
Ardeng Mariano, one of the rescuers, described the scene: “Pumunta kami lahat sa may tubig para tulongan yung mga bata. Nasa loob na sila ng tubig noon, madaming putik na ang kanilang buhok… malalim mga lampas tao.”
Parental Grief
Reynante Garcia, the father of the eight-year-old victim, was working in the fields at the time. “Tinawag aka sa bukid, ‘paya na yang ana mo,’ sabi nila,” he recounted, expressing his disbelief as they frequently gathered snails in that area without incident.
Safety Measures
Following the tragedy, the barangay chairman has now prohibited access to the pond for snail gathering. The pond, previously a water impounding facility, poses significant dangers that were not fully appreciated until now.