MARAGONDON, Cavite – A 17-year-old boy drowned while swimming with his friends in Pantihan Falls here on Tuesday, May 3.
The Maragondon Municipal Police Station (MPS) said Jerome Montilla, a resident of Naic, dove into the river at around 3 p.m. but was not able to rise back to the water's surface.
Operatives of Coast Guard Station Cavite and Special Operations Unit Cavite retrieved Montilla's body at 5:24 p.m.
Cpl. Juviel De Leon of Maragondon MPS told the Manila Bulletin that the area of the river where Montilla drowned is around 15 to 20 meters deep.
De Leon said it is possible that Montilla suffered from a muscle cramp or injured his foot when he dove into the river.
According to De Leon, Pantihan Falls has been closed for swimming since 2020 due to previous drowning incidents. The river is around 200 meters from the nearest road, making access difficult in case of emergencies.