NORZAGARAY, Bulacan – The bodies of two Bulacan State University students who went missing after shooting a short film were fished out of the Bakas river yesterday here.
The rescue team personally supervised by Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado recovered the remains of 19-year-old Jaysie Ronwill Balitoasan of Meycauayan and 17-year-old Jericho Burgos of Bulakan.
Balitoasan is the student council president of the said university.
The two were with members of the Journalism Society Group of BulSU to do a short film intended for the Sine Bulacan Film Festival of the said university.
Locals familiar with the river warned the group about the perilous state of the river which were apparently ignored by the group who went on with their attempt to swim at the river.
It was believed the victims were swept away by strong current until they were pulled down the rocky portion of the river.
Gov. Alvarado together with the Bulacan Rescue and divers from Norzagaray and Meycauayan, police elements here and the 48th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army conducted retrieval operations the entire weekend.
Strong currents said to be coming from the Angat Dam momentarily hampered their efforts until Alvarado requested dam officials to stop the release of water.
Meantime two girls also drowned last Saturday at the Angat river in Sitio Hulo, Bgy. Caingin, San Rafael.
The fatalities were identified as Myka Nicolas, 16 and Nikki Cruz, 8, both residents of Bgy. Capihan, San Rafael.
Police report said that the lifeless body of Nicolas was recovered on the same day) while the remains of Cruz were recovered on Sunday along a river in nearby Bustos, Bulacan.
It was learned that the victims together with their relatives went on the said river to clean the garbage truck of Bgy. Capihan. The victims reportedly swam at the deep part of the river which resulted to their drowning.
(FREDDIE C. VELEZ)