Drowning tragedy strikes Enrile, Cagayan: 13-year-old dead, friend still missing

ENRILE, Cagayan — The search for a 13-year-old boy turned heartbreaking after his body was recovered from the Cagayan River, while his friend remained missing following a drowning incident in Barangay Maddarulug Norte here on August 10.

The victims were identified as Jhony Baquiran, a resident of Barangay Maddarulug Sur, and Gian Agpalasin of Barangay San Roque, both 13 years old.

According to Don Erickson Orje, Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer (MDRRMO) of Enrile, the agency received the emergency report at around 11 a.m. and immediately deployed responders to the area.

At around 1 p.m., search and rescue teams recovered Baquiran from the river and rushed him to a local hospital, where he was later declared dead.

While one family was already facing the devastating loss of a child, rescuers continued their desperate search for Agpalasin, whose whereabouts remained unknown.

In a statement posted by One Enrile News and Events, Mayor Miguel B. Decena Jr. described the incident as a drowning and confirmed that one victim had been retrieved while the search for the other student continued.

“As of this time, our rescue teams have retrieved the body of a 13-year-old victim. Search and retrieval operations for the other student are still ongoing,” Decena said.

The search operation was being carried out by the MDRRMO, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), and Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (BDRRMO), with assistance from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).

“We extend our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the families, friends, and classmates of the victims. No words can truly ease the pain of this loss. The entire Enrile community mourns with you,” said Decena, expressing the local government's condolences to the victims' families, friends, and classmates and asked the public to respect their privacy as they cope with the tragedy.

The mayor said he had ordered immediate assistance for the affected families, including financial aid and psychological support and counseling for the bereaved families and survivors.

Decena also ordered a thorough review of safety measures in the area where the incident occurred and a fact-finding investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the drowning.

An emergency meeting with school heads, barangay captains, and parents was likewise ordered to strengthen truancy monitoring and intensify water safety awareness in communities.

“We are fully cooperating with the concerned authorities to establish the facts. I am personally on-site at the incident area, monitoring the operations and praying that the remaining retrieval operation will be successful before nightfall," the mayor assured.

Decena said the local government was coordinating with concerned authorities while personally monitoring the rescue and retrieval operation at the incident area.

Authorities have yet to establish the circumstances that led to the drowning. It remains unclear whether the teenagers were swimming, accidentally fell into the river, or were caught in a strong current or a deep portion of the Cagayan River.

As of the latest update on August 10, the search for Agpalasin was still underway as authorities continued efforts to locate him and determine what happened.

The incident serves as another reminder of the dangers posed by rivers, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall and strong currents, and the need for heightened water safety awareness among children and communities.