A 10-year-old boy drowned while swimming at a river in Sitio Sapangdaku, Barangay Canlumampao, Toledo City shortly before noon last Friday.
Local rescuers retrieved the body of Ike Deniel Dolino, a grade 5 pupil of Magdugo Elementary School, who was found floating in the river.
PO2 Joselito Genon of Toledo City Police Station said that according to some witnesses, the victim arrived in the area around 11 a.m. along with his classmates.
It was also learned from Aireen Dolino, 29, Ike’s mother, that her son was dismissed early in class as some teachers were attending a seminar.
Aireen said she did not expect her son to go to the river, which is around two kilometers away from school. She said she was just informed by fellow parents around 12 noon about the drowning incident prompting her to rush to the area.
It was already around 2 p.m. when rescuers found the body of Ike, who was immediately brought to Toledo district hospital where he was pronounced dead by an attending physician.
Some portions of Sapangdaku River get deeper due to sand- and gravel-hauling activities there.