FOUR children drowned and another went missing after they went swimming at a beach in Iligan City yesterday morning.
Police named the fatalities as siblings Junrey, 12; Jocel, 7; and Jomar, 6, all surnamed Sarsaba; and Neijel Mae Marilog, 6. Missing was Daisy Mae Doble, 9.
Initial investigation said the incident occurred at around 8 a.m. at a beach in Purok 1, Barangay Tambacan in Iligan City.
Police said the father of the Sarsaba siblings, Primilirio Sarsaba, 38, noticed one of his children, Jocel, calling for help. The father went to rescue her daughter but failed.
Police said four children, including his two other children, followed him and grabbed his back.
“He pushed the four children to recover his breathing but unfortunately, the five children were taken by the waves and went missing,” a police report said.
Four of the victims were later recovered by rescuers and brought to the Don Gregorio Lluch Memorial Hospital and Dr Uy Hospital where they were declared dead on arrival.
Search and rescue operations are underway to account for the missing victim.
