TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Per Police Blotter entry No. 2023-04-97 dated April 7, 2023, a reported drowning incident transpired today at around 3:45 p.m. along the Chico River at Sitio Dalimuno, Barangay Bantay. Victim was identified as Jefferson Logoy Dugayon, 47 years old, male, Pine Tree Transit Bus Driver and resident of Sitio Pinagan, Lucog in this city.
According to an interview conducted by Tabuk police investigators with the eye witness Gaius Dalipog Balangui, the person who pulled the victim from the water, while he and his friends were walking upstream, he unintentionally stepped on a person’s sole and buttocks, thinking that he was only diving.
However, after a few minutes passed and no one came out of the water, he dove into the river and pulled the victim out, bringing him to the riverbank where, as others phoned and shouted for assistance, they gave him CPR.
After several minutes, responders from the Bureau of Fire Protection-Tabuk contingent, stationed further downstream arrived on the site and immediately brought the victim to the Kalinga Provincial Hospital for medical attention, unfortunately, the attending physician, Dr. Giovanni Marcus, declared him dead on arrival.
Additionally, Tabuk police investigators in Bulanao spoke with Ruben Viernes, a colleague of the victim, who described how their group traveled to the higher section of the river to swim.
The victim apparently swam to the middle of the river and yelled for them to join him. When they were going to follow him, they realized he was gone, but they assumed he had gone in the direction of the lower part of the river where their other companions were also swimming. He claimed that there was an abrupt disturbance and people were shouting for help as someone appeared to have drowned and that as they arrived, they saw the victim being revived by concerned bystanders.
The body of the victim was brought to the Carbonel Funeral Home by his relatives. The city government family and all of the first responders are urging everyone to stay cautious for the remainder of this extended break in light of this sad tragedy.
