By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Two people are confirmed dead after they reportedly drowned in a river located at Purok Urban, Barangay Lopez Jaena, Murcia, Negros Occidental, Saturday afternoon.
Police identified the fatalities as 24-year-old Hernsel Herida, and Joebert Francisco, 15, both residents of Barangay Salvacion in the said town.
According to Senior Police Officer 1 (SPO1) George Romo of the Murcia municipal police, the two reportedly tried to play with the river’s current by letting it carry them downstream.
The two then decided to swim back upstream instead of getting out of the water.
One of the victims reportedly suffered muscle cramps and dragged the other in panic, which resulted to their drowning.
Both victims were rushed to the Bacolod Adventist Medical Center (BAMC) where Herida was declared dead on arrival by hospital staff.
Francisco, meanwhile, was initially revived on the way to the hospital, but he also perished while receiving medical treatment at BAMC./WDJ