6 drown in Nueva Ecija irrigation canal

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga, Philippines — Six people, including two rescuers, drowned after a tricycle fell into an irrigation canal in Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija on Thursday.

In a belated report, the Nueva Ecija police office said at least seven children were heading home on a tricycle driven by Angelica Cinense along the Baloc barangay road.

While crossing a bridge, the tricycle’s sidecar detached and fell into the canal, the report said.

Cinense and three of her passengers, aged six, seven and eight years, died.

Barangay residents Fernando Maducduc, 59, and Joel Trinidad, 49, also drowned while doing rescue works.

Four passengers, aged seven to 10 years, survived after other responding community residents helped them out of the ditch.