Woman "drowns" in swimming pool

CEBU, Philippines - A supposed get together of friends and relatives in a private resort in barangay Biasong, Talisay City Monday night turned into a tragedy after one of them drowned in a pool.

The victim was identified as Cristita Barinque Matsukawa of barangay Panadtaran, San Fernando town.

According to PO3 Mikie Espina of the Talisay City Police Station, Matsukawa and a friend were using the pool's slide but while the latter managed to stay afloat after sliding, Matsukawa was gone for several seconds.

This prompted her friends to call for rescue.

Matsukawa was retrieved still from the water and the resort's lifeguard quickly applied cardio pulmonary resuscitation on her.

The victim was then rushed to the South General Hospital in Naga City where she expired.

Espina said based on their interview with the victim's family, Matsukawa had a heart disease and could have suffered from cardiac arrest while still sliding, that she might have lost consciousness when she touched the water's surface.

Matsukawa was reportedly scheduled to travel abroad next month hence the get-together.

Meanwhile, on the same night, a 34-year-old man was shot by an unidentified person in sitio Nazareno, barangay Mohon of the same city and is now in critical condition.

Vincent Aldohueza sustained a gunshot wound at the back part of his head. He was rushed to the Talisay City District Hospital but was transferred to the government-run Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.

Based on the investigation conducted by the city police, Aldohueza was standing in front of their house when a person shot him as he passed by.

The gunman then ran away and is at large as of this posting.

The police have not established the motive for the shooting. - THE FREEMAN