River outing turns tragic: Five bakeshop workers went for a river swim in Bontoc—two never made it home

Bontoc, Mountain Province – A day meant for rest and fellowship among co-workers ended in tragedy after two employees of a local bakeshop drowned and were later found dead on Tuesday, June 30, in the Aghkuyo River in Bontoc, Mountain Province.

The victims were identified by authorities as Jeremiah Binan Guing-oy, 25, of Poblacion, Mankayan, Benguet, and Jacob Ting Tan, 38, of Middle Quirino Hill, Baguio City.

Victims went missing during picnic

According to a report from the Bontoc Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), the two men were among five co-workers who spent June 29 at the river for a picnic.

At around 3:00 p.m., Guing-oy and Tan reportedly went upstream to swim. When they failed to return after several hours, their colleagues began searching the area at around 6:00 p.m. but were unable to locate them.

After the initial search yielded no results, their employer reported the incident to the Bontoc Municipal Police Station at approximately 7:30 p.m., prompting authorities to launch search and rescue operations.

Bodies recovered the following day

The co-workers resumed the search early Tuesday, June 30, and eventually found the lifeless bodies of Guing-oy and Tan submerged in the river.

Authorities immediately responded to retrieve the bodies and process the scene. A post-mortem examination later confirmed that both victims died of drowning.

Responders observe Bontoc cleansing ritual

After the retrieval operation, responders gathered at the Bontoc Municipal Capitol Ato for "Palanga, Khaeb si Uminoman," a traditional Bontoc cleansing ritual officiated by Bontoc Ili Barangay Kagawad William Cherweg and Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) George Luis Fakat.

According to the Bontoc MDRRMO, the customary ritual is performed after tragic incidents, including drowning cases, to symbolically cleanse and help dispel lingering negative energy and emotional trauma experienced by responders after search, rescue, and retrieval operations.

Remains brought home

In a follow-up report, the MDRRMO said the victims' families had been informed, and the bodies were transported to their respective homes for their wake.

The office also extended its condolences to the bereaved families and appealed to the public to refrain from posting insensitive comments about the tragedy.

Bontoc rivers have claimed lives before

The incident in the Aghkuyo River is not the first drowning tragedy recorded in Bontoc in recent years.

In May 2024, a 12-year-old Grade 6 pupil drowned in the Chico River in Barangay Tucucan after she reportedly slipped while playing with her classmates near the riverbank. Rescuers recovered her body the following day.

Barely three months later, in August 2024, two five-year-old children also lost their lives after drowning in the same river near Sitio Cheppay in Barangay Bontoc Ili while reportedly playing near the water.

Although the circumstances of the incidents differed, they serve as a reminder of how quickly recreational activities near rivers can turn tragic.

Authorities have repeatedly reminded the public to exercise extreme caution near rivers and other bodies of water, avoid swimming in areas with strong currents or unfamiliar depths, closely supervise children, and immediately report emergencies to local responders.