Sibling grade school pupils die in Cotabato City river mishap

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — An 11-year-old boy and his nine-year-old brother, whom he helplessly tried to save from getting swept downstream by rampaging waters, were both drowned in the Matampay River here on Friday afternoon.

The water level at the Matampay River rose suddenly then, after heavy downpours around, while Haider Badal and his younger brother, Johair Badal, and friends were together swimming at one side of the waterway that drains at the western seacoast of this city.

Officials of a Philippine Coast Guard unit here and rescuers from the city government and the Bangsamoro Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence told reporters early Saturday that Johair drowned first as the water level in the Matampay River swelled after a sudden heavy downpour in the city.

Witnesses had told emergency responders that Haider tried to pull his younger brother to one side of the Matampay River, but was also drowned in the process.

Rescuers using rubber boats first found the lifeless Haider after four hours of extensive search and, an hour later, recovered the body of the younger Johair.

The satellite office in the Bangsamoro region of Vice President Sara Duterte, located in uptown of this city, has provided the family of the Badal siblings two Janazah kits, which contains soap and other provisions needed in washing and a white cloth to wrap a dead Muslim in keeping with Islamic burial tradition.