Camille Naredo

Article (news)

Dennis Datu

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1782654064945viber_image_2026-06-28_20-59-18-903.jpg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Families mourn three children who drowned in Laguna de Bay last week. Dennis Datu, ABS-CBN News"/>Families mourn three children who drowned in Laguna de Bay last week. Dennis Datu, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA -- The parents of the three children who tragically drowned in Laguna de Bay on Thursday afternoon in Barangay Sinalhan, Santa Rosa City, Laguna, are demanding justice and accountability.According to the Santa Rosa City Police Station, the three victims—aged 12, 6, and 3—were declared dead on arrival at a community hospital. The grieving families blamed the tragedy on an excavation along the lakeshore that was carried out months ago to deepen the area and free a barge that had run aground. They alleged that the contractor failed to restore the excavated portion after the operation, leaving behind a dangerously deep section of the lake. “Sana man lang po noon hinukay yan, noong maialis, yun kanilang nakuha na binalik lang man yung lupa na inalis, hindi yan ganyan na naghintay pa sila na may mangyayari na trahedya sa mga taga rito,” said Rapunzer Dela Cruz, the mother of the 12-year-old victim, &quot;M-M.&quot;<div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/6/22/ateneo-observes-40-day-mourning-period-following-adili-baterbonia-deaths-2359">Ateneo observes 40-day mourning period following Adili, Baterbonia deaths</a></div>Terry Abordo, mother of the three-year-old victim known as “Tewwi,” echoed the sentiment. &quot;Hindi po talaga namin tanggap, wala naman po maaaksidente kung hindi po hinukay yun, hinukay lang po talaga yun tapos hindi na po nila binalik pang-anim na po yan na nalunod sila lang po tatlo ang hindi pinalad,&quot; Abordo said.Santa Rosa City Mayor Arlene Arcillas, however, said the area had long been secured with barriers, warning signs, and safety notices. Dela Cruz recalled that she had been doing laundry while her 12-year-old daughter and grandson were playing with other children outside their home. She only became alarmed when everything suddenly fell silent.She later encountered her other 6-year-old granddaughter walking home from the direction of the lake, crying while carrying the slippers of her playmates. &quot;Bitbit niya yung dalawang tsinelas ng bunso ko, tsinelas ng apo ko, naiyak, sabi ko asan ang mga may-ari ng tsinelas? nasaan sila? Apat kayo ah, bakit ikaw na lang ang umuwi? Naiiyak po yan sabi niya patingin ko nga po sa likod wala na silang lahat,&quot; Dela Cruz said.Fearing the worst, Dela Cruz rushed to the lake, waded into the water, and searched beneath boats and thick water lilies, but failed to find the children.Residents and fishermen immediately joined the search. Nearly an hour later, fisherman Junry Refil located the three children submerged beneath the lake.“Malalim ho, nasa isang dipa at kalahati,“ Refil said.“Delikado po talaga ho kasi sobrang lalim ho kasi hindi naman ho binalik ng kontraktor ng barge, sana mabigyan ho nila ng aksyon,” he added.Investigators said the children went to the lake to swim and gather shells before accidentally wandering into the deep portion, where they drowned. “Hindi ko pa tanggap, hindi ko kaya, sila ang buhay ko eh,” said Wilma Carpio, the mother of 6-year-old Vince.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/4/4/magkapatid-nalunod-sa-morong-bataan-1853">Magkapatid nalunod sa Morong, Bataan </a> </div>Following the tragedy, barangay officials, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), and the Philippine Coast Guard installed new warning signs and caution tape around the area. But for the grieving mothers, those measures came far too late.“Patatapusin ko lang po, pag-nailibing na po yan sabi ko po aasikasuhin ko magrereklamo po ako para mabigyan ng hustisya ang anak ko,“ Abordo vowed.Mayor Arcillas said the city government will shoulder all funeral and burial expenses for the victims and is also studying livelihood assistance for the affected families. “Yung paglilibingan po ng mga bata ay tayo na rin ang sasagot, gagawa tayo ng paraan kung paano nila mas mababantayan ang anak nila na kung kailangan ng livelihood doon na lamang,” the mayor said.The local government has also launched an investigation to determine who should be held legally responsible for the fatal incident.

The parents of the three children who tragically drowned in Laguna de Bay on Thursday afternoon in Barangay Sinalhan, Santa Rosa City, Laguna, are demanding justice and accountability.

The parents of the three children who tragically drowned in Laguna de Bay on Thursday afternoon in Barangay Sinalhan, Santa Rosa City, Laguna, are demanding justice and accountability.

Parents demand accountability after three children drown in Laguna de Bay

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Parents demand accountability after three children drown in Laguna de Bay

Dennis Datu,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 28, 2026 09:42 PM PHT

Read More:

Laguna de Bay

Drowning

Santa Rosa City

Laguna

Mayor Arlene Arcillas

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