19-year-old man drown in Batangas

BATANGAS CITY, Philippines - A 19-year-old man died of drowning while swimming in a beach in Lian, Batangas on Thursday, the police said Friday. Senior Inspector Jose Marasigan Jr., police chief of Lian, identified the victim as Remnald Ramilla, 19, resident of Centennial II, Pinagbuhatan in Pasig City. Ramilla was swimming with cousins and friends at Kandahan Beach Resort in Barangay Matabungkay at about 6:30 a.m. when they suddenly encountered big waves, said Marasigan, quoting witnesses. In a phone interview, Marasigan said that Remnald's companions were able to save themselves from the waves but the victim drowned. Ramilla's lifeless body was recovered shortly after three hours of search. He said that the sea current in Lian was abnormally high at that time probably due to the winds brought by Typhoon Emong. "For those people who are planning to have an outing, we are advising them to postpone their plans especially if they knew that there will be a typhoon," Marasigan said. - Marlon Alexander Luistro, GMANews.TV