Two 5-year-olds found dead in Negros town
Credit to Author: Eugene Y. Adiong| Date: Fri, 29 Nov 2019 16:15:31 +0000
BACOLOD CITY: Two five-year-old children have been found dead in less than 24 hours in Negros Occidental.
The first fatality, whose name is being witheld by authorities, was found in a swamp in Pontevedra town on Wednesday night.
MSgt Jenne Emborniza, head of the Women and Children Protection Desk, said the victim was last seen by her family around 2 p.m. after she went with her aunt to the swamp that day.
She, however, stayed at the area to play while her aunt returned home first.
That night, the victim was found lifeless in the swamp around 9 p.m.
She sustained scratches and other injuries
Emborniza said the victim had lacerations on her hymen, an indication that there was alleged foul play in the incident.
Police, however, refused to confirm if the victim was raped.
Based on autopsy results, according to Emborniza, the victim drowned.
She said police have arrested within the area the following day a suspect in his late 20s.
Emborniza added that murder charges in relation to violation of Republic Act 7610, or the “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act,” would be filed against the suspect.
Also in Pontevedra, another five-year-old — a boy — was found dead after he failed to get out from a burning house at Purok Sigay, Barangay 2 on Thursday morning.
Chief Inspector Publio Ploteña, city fire marshal, identified the fatality as Raniel Macapal.
Ploteña said the fire broke out around 5:32 a.m. at the house of Belinda Cuadra, where the victim was staying.
He added that an occupant at Cuadra’s house rescued Macapal and an infant inside the burning house.
Cuadra, however, got separated with the victim while they were escaping.
The boy was left behind side the burning house.
Ploteña said they do not know if the occupant is a relative of the victim or the house owner.
Cuadra’s house was destroyed while three other neighboring houses owned by Silvia Sugilon, Bernardo Galicia, and Jose Bonza Sr. were damaged.
All the houses were made from light materials.
The fire was put out around 6:10 a.m. The Bureau of Fire Protection has declared an estimated P30,000 worth of damage to property.