Swept kid found dead

The body of an 11-year-old boy was found in the Pasig River on Sunday, a day after he was swept away by floodwaters in a creek in Antipolo City, officials said.

Initial reports said that the boy, a sixth-grade student, had been with his older brother and a neighbor on Saturday when they were carried away by the rushing water in a creek in Barangay Mayamot.

The boy’s brother and the neighbor were rescued by authorities in Barangay Concepcion Dos, Marikina City.

“The boy himself approached us,” said FO3 Norton Jake Estrada of the Bureau of Fire Protection in Marikina. “When we got there, he greeted us and said, ‘sir, maybe my brother is just there or clinging on,’ so we looked for him again.”

A video showed a child being swept away by the current. The search for the boy continued with teams from the barangay, Marikina Rescue and the Philippine Coast Guard.

The boy’s body was found Sunday afternoon in the Pasig River in Barangay Santolan, Pasig City.

“When we arrived at the area, it was positive that there was a floating body,” said Jo Alianza, chief of the Barangay Santolan Security Force. “The barangay of Marikina came here, along with the family, they confirmed that it was their relative who drowned.”

The boy’s mother, Jenny Buella, said she had told her son goodbye on Saturday afternoon when he went out to play in the rain. She said she never imagined he would go down to the creek.

“Suddenly the water rose. The water was different, muddy, I was so surprised. I couldn’t accept it,” she said.

The boy’s barangay has pledged to help the family with funeral expenses.