2 photojournalists killed in river incident in Itogon, Benguet

Two photojournalists died after their vehicle was swept away by a river in Itogon, Benguet.

According to a "24 Oras" Weekend report by Jamie Santos on Saturday, footage taken around 3:30 p.m. showed the vehicle stranded amid strong river currents in Barangay Dalupirip.

Authorities later retrieved the vehicle using a backhoe.

Initial investigation showed the vehicle was carrying six passengers who had just come from a graduation photoshoot at a nearby elementary school and were attempting to cross the river.

Five passengers were rescued and brought to the hospital. However, the 68-year-old driver, photojournalist Rodolfo Ong Tan of Baguio City, was declared dead.

The second victim, photojournalist Neil Clark Ongchangco, also from Baguio, was found Friday night in a nearby river.

Tan has since been cremated, while a wake is being held for Ongchangco.

A Baguio-based photojournalism group expressed condolences over the deaths of their two members.—Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/MCG, GMA Integrated News