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Antique mayor swam for hours to save girlfriend Bianca Manalo, companions

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Cherry Palma, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/03/30/antique1.jpg"/><figcaption>Beauty queen and actress Bianca Manalo is in tears after they were rescued in the waters off Antique town on Thursday. <em>MDRRMC Sebaste, Antique</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>The mayor of Pandan town in Antique on Friday said he and a companion swam for hours in the open sea to ask for help to save his girlfriend, actress Bianca Manalo, and others after their boat capsized in the waters just off the province.</p><p>Mayor Jonathan Tan told ABS-CBN news he was with Manalo, actress Ehra Madrigal, and seven others when their boat was hit by strong waves while they were on their way to Mararison Island in Culasi town.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/29/18/1-dead-as-boat-capsizes-in-antique-mayor-and-2-actresses-among-survivors">1 dead as boat capsizes in Antique; mayor and 2 actresses among survivors</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Napakabilis lang ng pangyayari, 10 to 15 seconds, tumaob na kami. Nag-panic na ang lahat. I had to do something. Kung hindi ko gagawin yun, malulunod kaming lahat,&quot; he told ABS-CBN News.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/03/30/antique2.jpg"/><figcaption>Pandan Mayor Jonathan Tan after they were rescued in the waters off Antique town on Thursday. <em>MDRRMC Sebaste, Antique</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Among those aboard the vessel were Tom Yeung, Madrigal&#x27;s husband; and their other friends and some of Tan&#x27;s relatives, namely: Joyce Mallari and her two daughters, Majel Tresche, Torrebeo Barrientos, and Bennie Dable.</p><p>Dable, who is Tan&#x27;s cousin and bodyguard, died in the incident.</p><p>Tan said after several efforts of calling for help, he decided to try to swim to the shore with Barrientos.</p><p>&quot;Nagpe-pray ako, sabi ko, &#x27;Lord, ayoko maging selfish; please save me so I can save them,&quot; he said.</p><p>He said they swam 4 kilometers for around 2 hours before they were seen by local fishermen in Brgy. Aras-asan in Sebaste town, who immediately went back to where Manalo and the others were.</p><p>Tan said he could not help but cry when he thinks of what could have happened to his companions.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/03/30/antique3.jpg"/><figcaption>Beauty queen and actress Bianca Manalo gets help after they were rescued in the waters off Antique town on Thursday. <em>MDRRMC Sebaste, Antique</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>&quot;Napaiyak talaga ako. While we were on our way pabalik sa kanila, sabi ko, &#x27;Makikita ko pa ba sila? Are they still there?&#x27; Grabe talaga, parang pelikula yung pangyayari,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Talagang hindi ko ini-expect na mangyayari ito sa amin,&quot; he added.</p><p>They received medical attention from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management after they were rescued.</p><p>Tan and his companions are still recuperating from the incident.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/03/29/compo-2018-2018-032918.jpg"/><figcaption>Former actress Ehra Madrigal, Pandan Mayor Jonathan Tan and beauty queen Bianca Manalo. <em>Courtesy of Bianca Manalo&#x27;s Instagram/Jonathan Tan&#x27;s Facebook/Viva Artists Agency</em></figcaption></figure></div>

<p>The mayor of Pandan town in Antique on Friday said he and a companion swam for hours in the open sea to ask for help to save his girlfriend, actress Bianca Manalo, and others after their boat capsized in the waters just off the province.</p>

The mayor of Pandan town in Antique on Friday said he and a companion swam for hours in the open sea to ask for help to save his girlfriend, actress Bianca Manalo, and others after their boat capsized in the waters just off the province.

Antique mayor swam for hours to save girlfriend Bianca Manalo, companions

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Antique mayor swam for hours to save girlfriend Bianca Manalo, companions

Cherry Palma,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 30, 2018 02:15 PM PHT

|

Updated January 03, 2019 08:37 PM PHT

Read More:

Jonathan Tan

Bianca Manalo

Antique

boat

capsizing

speedboat

Pandan

Mararison Island

Mararison

Culasi

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