KASIBU, Nueva Vizcaya – A civilian volunteer recovered the body of a three-year-old girl swept away by a rampaging river in Barangay Allo here Saturday, August 6.
Information gathered from the office of Police Col. Ranser Evasco, Nueva Vizcaya police director, said rescuers from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO), Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Bureau of Fire protection (BFP) retrieved the victim’s remains at around 9:40 a.m. Sunday, August 7, on the riverside in Barangay Poblacion here, less than a kilometer away from where she disappeared.
Regan Bahiwag Nobbon, 30, of Barangay Poblacion found the victim when he came in contact with her foot.
“Sinuyod po nila ang ilog pababa, less than a kilometer at nakapa ng paa ni Regan iyong bata (Rescuers scoured the river downstream and less than a kilometer away, they found the victim, when Regan touched her feet),” police said.
Local police transported the victim’s remains and her family to their home in Barangay Oyao, Belance, Dupax del Norte, this province.
Rescuers had been on standby since Saturday night in their search for the victim.
Kasibu police said the victim, with her mother and uncle, were onboard a motorcycle and attempted to cross an overflow bridge at around 9:30 a.m.
However, due to the strong river current, they and the motorcycle were carried away.
Her uncle and mother managed to move to the river side but the victim and motorcycle were missing.
Hours later at around 2:30 p.m. Saturday, the motorcycle was recovered 10 to 15 meters away from the overflow bridge.