BACOLOD CITY -- A security guard died while his cousin survived from drowning at the beachfront in Barangay 5, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental on Sunday, July 10.
The fatality was identified as Joffrey Cabungcag, 26, of Escalante City.
His cousin-survivor was identified as Julius Arcangel, 23, of Escalante City.
According to Executive Assistant Dionilo Bogtae, head of the Public Safety and Sipalay Emergency Assistance and Rescue Services (SEARS), the victims went swimming despite bad weather.
Bogtae said the swimmers were warned not to go to the beach because of the rough sea and big waves. The two, however, insisted.
Bogtae said that Arcangel was rescued first and was revived, while Cabungcag’s body later floated at the sea, but failed to survive.
The actual video of the rescue was posted on social media that day, showing rescuers carrying one of the two victims.