Tuesday, March 18, 2008 One more visitor to Mabinay spring drowns By Syril G. Repe
MABINAY, Negros Oriental -- A 27-year-old man from Cauayan City, Negros Occidental who visited his relatives in the town drowned shortly after noon Saturday while swimming with his friend in the Mabinay spring.
Police identified the victim as Danilo Hernane, single, of Barangay Umilis, Cauayan City, Negros Occidental.
Hernane was swimming with a friend at the spring, which is a few kilometers from the town center, when the accident happened.
Police initial investigation showed the victim and his friend were near the center of the lake when Hernane suddenly felt tired and had difficulty swimming.
He was pulled downward and cried for help. His friend swam back to the side of the lake and shouted for help.
Residents nearby rushed to the victim's rescue and applied first aid. They rushed him to Mabinay District Hospital, but the victim died an hour later.
The Mabinay police are conducting an investigation into the incident.
Last January, a student also drowned in the lake. Police identified the victim as Jan Darryl Ramada, 14, of Barangay Poblacion, Mabinay. He was a second year student of Mabinay National High School.
Police said the victim was swimming with his classmates when the water rose. The victim stayed in the water for a long time and had difficulty going back to the lakeside.
The victim was rushed to the Mabinay Medicare Hospital for medical treatment, but doctors declared him dead on arrival.
On that incident, the Municipal Government led by Mayor Enozario Baldoza tasked the police to investigate the incident.
Baldoza said he is asking for funding from Municipal Council members to pay for the putting up of a perimeter fence around the spring. Baldosa warned visitors not to swim there for safety reasons.
The Mabinay spring was developed in 2003 and is one of the tourist attractions of the town. The lake has no lifeguard.
