2 men drown at Casaroro Falls

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines – Mayor Enrique Gonzalez, Jr. of Valencia town in Negros Oriental has announced he will look into the possibility of assigning a lifeguard in one of the town’s tourist attractions, Casaroro Falls, following the drowning of two young men there during the All Saints’ Day observance on Thursday.

Initial reports showed that the victims, identified as Darryl Lim, 22, of Cavite City, and Anthony Patacsil, 20, of Baguio City, were on an outing with two female companions when tragedy struck at around 9:30 a.m. that day.

The group went swimming near the waterfalls when one of the men reportedly disappeared underneath the falls first, prompting the other to come to his rescue. The two however failed to resurface, said the reports.

Rescuers retrieved the bodies from the bottom of the waterfalls hours later, Gonzalez told The Freeman, adding that the Valencia Police, the town’s rescue team and scuba divers were brought in after the callout.

Both victims were said to be working for the Dumaguete Cathedral Credit Cooperative (DCCCO) in Dumaguete City, said Gonzalez.

The mayor said that, aside from the possibility of hiring a lifeguard, he will study other means of warning tourists to take the necessary safety measures while at Casaroro Falls, one of  the most beautiful and attractive falls in Negros Oriental.

It was not the first time that a drowning incident occurred at Casaroro Falls, which is about 100 feet high and with its waters plunging into a basin that has been attracting tourists to go swimming. —(FREEMAN)