A tragic incident occurred during a Boy Scout jamboree Thursday morning at Climaco Freedom Park in Abong-Abong, Zamboanga City, where three senior Boy Scouts were electrocuted after the large canopy tent they were moving came into contact with a live power line, authorities said.
The fatalities were identified as Kevin Emmanuel Iguid, Geoffrey Guilar Atilano, and Alvin Aguilar Gasfar, all 17 years old and students at local schools. They succumbed shortly after the incident, with Iguid pronounced dead at 9:40 a.m., Gasfar at 9:44 a.m., and Atilano at 9:48 a.m.
Ten other scouts, aged 11 to 18, were injured and rushed to the Zamboanga City Medical Center. Among the injured were Fraziel Arkasaha Sahibuddin and Alwin Macaso Manding, both 12 years old, from Barangay Tulungatung, along with other scouts from various barangays.
Authorities, including the police and the Zamboanga City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, responded quickly, transporting the injured to the hospital. As of this writing, their conditions remain critical.
The Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) took full responsibility for the incident. Jamboree organizers said the tent's metal frame accidentally struck a live wire while being moved from the road to the campsite.
In light of the tragedy, Zamboanga City Mayor John M. Dalipe canceled the jamboree, which had over 1,000 Boy Scouts in attendance. The Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative pledged to cooperate with the investigation into the incident. The BSP assured they would provide support to the affected scouts and their families.