A two-year-old boy and his five-year-old sister drowned while swimming at sea in Barangay Poblacion, El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental.

The children’s mother said she was unaware that her two kids were taken to the beach by their neighbors, who are also minors.

“Nagbantay ako sa anak ko tapos nagkanta kanta lang ako nagulat ako kasi nagsigawan na may nalunod daw pagtakbo ko dun hinanap ko yung dalawang bata tinanong ko to kung panganay ko saan yung dalawang bata sabi niya sa tubig daw,” children’s mother, Angelica Lariosa, said.

Neighbors reportedly rescued first the 10-year-old and 14-year-old girls, who were allegedly responsible for taking the younger children to the beach.

However, when asked if the two younger children were with them, they reportedly denied it.

“Ako gyud silang gibasol kay mga dagko naman gud sila ika duha unta ilang gidala sa dagat nagpahibalo sila sa akoa mas mo uban pa ko,” children’s grandmother, Alma Maalyao, said.

The lifeless bodies of the siblings were recovered in the same area they were believed to have drowned. They were rushed to the El Salvador City lying-in clinic, but doctors declared them dead on arrival.

The two older girls rescued are now in safe condition.

“Dili unta nila pasagdan ilang mga bata labi na sa dagat nato karon kay kusog ang balod dili nato matagnaan ang current sa ilalom kusog so need gyud parental supervision kung maligo man sa dagat,” El Salvador City Police Station Invsetigator, Master Sergeant Alvin Calingasan, said.