Taguig City Mayor Lino Edgardo Cayetano has ordered an investigation into the case of three minors who died in Arca South business district in Western Bicutan on Thursday afternoon.
Initial reports showed that the fatalities — Dominique Nueva, 6; Reynan Sandag, 6, and Prince Almania, 8, all residents of PNR site in Western Bicutan — drowned in a water hole along Anchor Street around 12:40 p.m.
“The city has been in close coordination with Arca South management, Philippine National Police, and Barangay officials and has ordered immediate investigation on the matter,” said Cayetano.
Cayetano said the accident happened in a private property, in an open lot where there was a water hole.
Community watchers tried to rescue the children by pulling them out of the water hole. They brought the boys to the Taguig-Pateros District Hospital where attending physicians pronounced them dead.
“This is a tragedy, and we are heartbroken. This should not have happened. We have reached out to the families of these innocent young children. I have personally met with their mothers and have assured them the city will continue to try to be a source of comfort for them during this difficult time,” the city chief executive said.
Cayetano said local government will engage the community to make sure minors are supervised when leaving the household.
“The area has been designated off-limits and has been cordoned off to the public,” he said.
On Friday, the city government announced it has adopted the recommendation of Metro Manila Council (MMC) in consultation with the Philippine Pediatric Society not to allow minors to go outdoors, including shopping malls, while the National Capital Region is under the general community quarantine.
The government earlier warned parents they will be held liable if they allow children to go outside their homes.
The MMC agreed to the recommendation of experts to disallow the entry of persons aged 17 years old and below to commercial establishments and other outdoor areas such as shopping malls during the coronavirus disease pandemic.
Minors are allowed to do non-contact sports such as biking and jogging, subject to interpretation of local government units (LGUs) through their respective existing ordinances.