Emergency rescuers retrieve the body of the victim, a hiker who got carried away by the swelling river in Barangay Budlaan, Cebu City on Saturday, July 12. | Contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — After a tragic incident that killed a 21-year-old fresh graduate, officials in Barangay Budlaan, Cebu City urged the public to avoid outdoor activities during bad weather.
The victim, identified as Jerson Caballies, drowned while being rescued, said Nerissa Antolihao, Budlaan Barangay Captain.
Caballies went on a hiking trip with two other friends last Saturday, July 12, towards Mt. Kan-Irag in the neighboring Barangay Sirao.
All three just graduated from college last June.
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Since one of Caballies’ companions was already familiar with the route, the group decided not to hire the assistance of a tour guide, Antolihao added.
When the young adults started their trek, the weather remained fair.
But residents in Budlaan, including a local guide, warned them that it had been raining earlier that day, and advised the youngsters not to proceed with their trip for their safety.
“We also learned that the family of the victim (the one who drowned) warned him to cancel their hike because of the bad weather. We talked with the victim’s sibling who shared that they advised him to stay indoors for the meantime,” Antolihao said in Cebuano.
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Since June, Cebu had been experiencing inclement weather due to the presence of the southwest monsoon, bringing isolated rain showers with occasional heavy rains.
As soon as the three started crossing Butuanon River and reached the vicinity of Budlaan Falls, the water levels suddenly rose.
One of Caballies’ female companions managed to run to the nearest bank, and rushed back to the barangay hall for help.
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Meanwhile, Caballies climbed to a nearby boulder to avoid the strong current.
Two concerned residents tried to assist and rescue Caballies by throwing him a rope, and tied it around his arm. But suddenly, the victim reportedly jumped into the water, said Antolihao.
“Maybe he started to panic because the water level of the river kept rising. According to those who attempted to rescue him, he jumped into the water. They tried to bring him to safety but the current was too strong, and there were only two of them,” the barangay captain explained.
It took several hours before the group was brought to safety. Caballies’ lifeless body was discovered a few meters downstream around 9 p.m.
This was not the first drowning incident that happened around Budlaan Falls in the adjacent Butuanon River, most of which were caused by bad weather, said Antolihao.
“This is why we will be conducting a meeting now to come up with safety measures to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future,” she added.
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