7-year-old girl drowns at Holiday Inn-Clark

ANGELES CITY, Philippines – A seven-year-old girl died of drowning in the swimming pool of Holiday Inn Resort Hotel in Clark on Sunday afternoon, unnoticed by relatives and other swimmers and lifeguards. Shift-in-charge Bong Villanueva of Holiday Inn identified the victim as Jabzcel Erin Gonzales of Barangay Mabiga in Mabalacat, Pampanga. At least 35 people were in the pool when the incident happened, he said. In a report to the Clark Development Corp. Public Relations Department, the hotel’s security department said that pool attendant Larry Bucatcat heard someone shouting and asking for help. The victim was seen floating on the pool. Bucatcat took the victim off the pool and immediately applied first aid. She was taken by paramedics 10 minutes later to the Air Force City Hospital in Clark but efforts to revive her were futile, said the report. From the Air Force Hospital, the victim was taken to the AUF hospital for further medical attention, but doctors declared her dead at about 7:30 p.m., said the report. The report said the girl was in the company of five adults and two other children, who arrived at the swimming pool at 4 p,m. Sunday. She drowned at the 4-ft deep pool at 5:40 p.m. - Joey Aguilar, GMANews.TV