The family of a 16-year-old girl who drowned at the Angalacan River in Mangaldan, Pangasinan is seeking justice after claims surfaced that she may have been pushed by a companion.

Police identified the victim as an Alternative Learning System (ALS) Grade 9 student from Barangay Bari.

She and four friends were swimming in the river on August 27, 2025 when she was swept away by the current. She was rushed to a hospital in Dagupan but declared dead on arrival.

Investigators said the group had been drinking alcohol before entering the river.

“So far sa ngayon, hindi pa namin nag-eextract yung statements nung mga bata kasi humihingi pa kami ng clearance sa MSWD,” PLtCol. Perlito Tuayon, chief of Mangaldan Police Station, said.

But the victim’s mother, Rochelle Cabangan, said she was told by one of her daughter’s friends that the victim had been pushed.

“Umiiyak siya noong Huwebes ng gabi. Umiiyak siya, Ma’am, na nagso-sorry. Sabi ko, 'ba’t ka nagso-sorry?' Sabi niya, 'Tita, ako po ‘yung nagtulak,” she said.

“Umiiyak pa siya, tapos hindi niya matanggap na namatay siya. At saka sinabi po ng anak ko na tinulak daw po siya. Sadyang pinatay daw po siya,” she added.

Cabangan said she has been struggling to sleep since her daughter’s death.

A video circulating on social media has also fueled speculation. In it, a girl, said to be a friend of the victim, appeared to be "possessed" and spoke as if "channeling the victim’s voice."

Police said they are assessing the video to determine its relevance.

Authorities said they plan to schedule a meeting between the victim's family and the families of the four friends who were with her during the incident.

For now, police said they have yet to receive any solid evidence or witness accounts to prove the allegation that the girl was deliberately pushed.