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Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Fluvial parade tragedy victim's body recovered
By Raymond C. Garcia
MASANTOL -- The body of the other fatality during the tragic fluvial parade accident last Sunday afternoon in Barangay Alauli here was recovered Tuesday.
The village folk, led by Barangay Captain Roberto Hernandez, other barangay officials and concerned citizens, conducted search and rescue operations to recover the body of a young boy since Sunday night.
Sun.Star Network Online's coverage of the Sinulog 2008 Festival
At around 7:55 a.m. Tuesday, the rescue team was able to recover the body of Julius "Jonjon" Valdez, the 12-year-old boy who died of drowning.
Vice Mayor Marcelo Lacap said that Jonjon was not from Masantol but from Taguig in Metro Manila. He said the boy was in this town to join his relatives in the merrymaking.
"Dumayo lang dito yung bata para puntahan yung mga kamag-anak niya dito para makipagsaya. Kasi nabalitaan daw niya yung tungkol sa 'Labas Larawan' na ginagawa ng mga tao dito sa ilog (The boy was here to visit his relatives and join them in merrymaking. Because he learned about 'Labas Larawan,' which is done by the residents in the river)," Lacap said.
After Jonjon's body was recovered, Lacap ordered that it be cleaned and be embalmed before bringing it back to his hometown in Taguig for burial.
The vice mayor also said that the local government unit here will shoulder the expenses for the transfer of the body, as well as the burial, and funeral of the young boy.
Hernandez, for his part, extended his condolences to the family of the fatalities.
He also said that no one is to be blamed for the Sunday afternoon mishap, saying, "Accidents do happen when you least expect it."
"Wala namang may kagustuhan doon sa nangyari kaya wala dapat tayong sisihin (No one wanted the tragedy to happen so no one should be blamed)," he said.
Hernandez said the "Labas Larawan" fluvial parade will still continue to be held and celebrated every January 1 since the celebration has already become a tradition and part of the lives of the people here. (Sun.Star Pampanga/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Bacolod. (January 9, 2008 issue)
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