BAGUIO CITY — A Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) officer was swept away by a strong river current and drowned while on a rescue mission for a missing boy at Sitio Daeng, Barangay Halog East, Tubao, La Union on Tuesday.
Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class (PO3) Ponciano Nesperos was crossing the safety line when he lost his balance and was caught in the rush of water at the height of bad weather conditions.
Mr. Nesperos’ fellow coast guardsmen in the Special Operations Group-North West Luzon (SOG-NWLN) went after him and brought him to safety, but he was already unconscious. He was immediately taken to the La Union Medical Center, but it was too late.
There was no word on the fate of the missing boy, who earlier fell into the river. — Artemio A. Dumlao
