Man saves 6 drowning kin; missing

By Liezle Basa Inigo and Hilda Austria 

BINMALEY, Pangasinan – Authorities are still searching for a 32-year-old male who was reported missing after rescuing seven of his family members and relatives at a beach here.
    In a statement issued Tuesday, Pangasinan Police Provincial Office director, Col. Jeff Fanged, identified the missing person as Jonald Soriano, a farmer and resident of Barangay Bacnar in San Carlos City.
    “The victim was watching or looking at his relatives swimming at the beach in Binmaley town on December 26 when he noticed them being carried away by strong waves. The victim immediately swam towards them to pull them away from the strong current. His relatives were safe. However, he was carried away by the wave,” he said.
The three relatives -- Marly Cole, Dennis Cole and Kate Cole, all residents of Malacañang San Carlos City, were brought to Lingayen District Hospital.
    The other members --Jonathan Soriano, Noah Elves and Enzo Elves, both residents of Tarlac City were attended to by personnel of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) of Lingayen town.
    “Victim was still missing as of this time and a rescue operation is being undertaken by personnel of Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) and MDRRMO to recover the body of the victim,” said Patrolman Dexter Escalona of Binmaley Police Station Tactical Operation Center, in a separate interview on Tuesday.
    Escalona said the sea waves are quite unpredictable.
    Gale warning was up on Dec. 26, discouraging the fishermen from setting sail but there was no ban on swimming on the beaches. 
    Soriano went missing while attempting to rescue six relatives from being swept away by waves in a beach here on Monday, Dec. 26, police said earlier.
    A rescue operation was undertaken by personnel of provincial and town disaster personnel.
Police said Soriano was watching his relatives swimming at around 8:30 a.m. when waves carried them away.
    He immediately dived into the sea to save them from drowning but he was also swept away by waves.