Boy, 5, drowns in Toledo river

Victim’s body found floating in river during heavy downpour last Friday evening

Police identified the boy as Junrey Suerte, who was found floating lifeless at past 9 p.m. Capitol has been monitoring the bad weather since last week

A FIVE-year-old boy died after he drowned in the river of Barangay Campo Otso, Toledo City last Friday night, during a heavy downpour.

Police identified the casualty as Junrey Suerte, who was found floating lifeless at past 9 p.m.

Before the boy disappeared, his mother Merlinda, 35, left him inside their house because she had to feed their pig.

When Merlinda later went back inside the house, the boy was no longer there. She then searched for Junrey. When she could not find him, she sought help from her relatives, one of whom announced the boy’s disappearance on Facebook.

They received a message from a Facebook friend, informing them about a boy in Cambang-og, a village in the city.

Merlinda went to Cambang-og and identified her son at a funeral parlor.

An investigation by a police team led by SPO2 Nonilon Cutmaya showed that Junrey was discovered by Armando Tinampay while he was about to dig for sand and gravel in the river.

Tinampay reported what he saw to Cambang-og Councilor Leonides Trazona, who in turn informed the police station about the incident.

The Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office has been monitoring the bad weather since last week, radio dyAB reported.