A 15 year-old high school student drowned in the waters near the Taloot port of Argao town, southern Cebu Tuesday afternoon.
The victim was identified as Benjamin Parantar, a Grade 8 student studying at Argao National High School who lived in Barangay Canbanua, Argao.
PO2 Howard Maynopas said Parantar was swimming with seven more children at the port located in front of the headquarters of a Bantay Dagat team and the Argao police precinct.
Maynopas said Bantay Dagat personnel had been reminding children not to swim in the wharf.
“And then they heard that this Parantar kid was screaming for help because he cannot swim since he had cramps on his legs. Parantar’s friends then shouted for help but it was too late. Everything happened so quick,” Maynopas said.
He said they managed to recover Parantar’s remains and tried to revive him to no avail. Parantar was brought to the Isidro Kintanar Memorial Hospital in Argao town but failed to make it.