*Note this story is in Bicol-Naga

Sinubol ang pulisya na kunsultahon ang kaso kang nalamos na turista sa anod kang salog Ulot. Midbid ang lugar sa mga sugno ning bangka na udang alalay tangarig mamintenar ang balanse kani na inaapod na Torpedo Boating. Pagkatapos kang pagsakay, kadalasang gibuhon na lumukso sa naragasang salog sa punto ni Deni kung sain ang mga giya nagsasabi sa mga turista na magkapot sa gakod bago sinda anudon sa babang parte pa ning salog.

An sinasabing aksidente nangyari kang Hulyo 8, 2018. An duwang turista na si Rowena Yi sagkod Winston Yang, parehong Chinese, nagsakay sa baruto ning ala una ning maagahon. Normal man ang mga bagay bagay hanggang sa makaabot sinda sa punto ni Deni kung sain, pakalukso sa salog, dae na sinda nagbutwa. Sa takot na ang duwang indibidwal ay pigdara na parayo kang anod kang salog, ang mga giya nagbuo ning mahanap na grupo. Nagibo nindang mahanap ang hawak ni Winston Yang sa bangketa kan salog, sarong kilometro ang rayo hale sa pigluksuhan niya sa salog.

Ang pagpurbar na masalbar siya mayo ng naginibo huri kang nalamos na ining haloy. Ang bangkay kani kinua asin nilipat sa pinakaharaning morge para maeksamin. Ang pagkalamos ang malinaw na kawsa kang pagkagadan pero igwa ining mga gasgas sa bitis na garong may pisikal na nagbutong kani pairarom.

Ang hawak ni Rowena Yi dae na nahanap, pinagtutubudan na ang makusog na anod kang salog dinara ang hawak pasiring dagat. An lugar masusing pinaghanapan asin sarong grupo ning mga ekspertong Chinese ang pinadara para magtabang sa paghanap, pero mayong napala. Ang paghanap natapos sarong bulan pakatapos mangyari ang insidente.

Kan September 3, 2018, panibagong grupo ning mga turista na naman ang nawara. Sa pagkakataong ini, tulong haling Manila na sina Loren Albay, Samuel Encarnacion, asin Iñigo Ferrer ang dae na nagbutwa pakatapos maglukso sa punto ni Deni. Ang paghanap sa mga hawak ninda inabot ning duwang bulan asin garo mayo ng masasalbar arog kang kaso nin Rowena Yi alagad ang saro sa mga turista, si Samuel Encarnacion, ay may kamerang GoPro na nakatakod sa saiyang helmet. Nakua an kamera kan saro sa mga tagarurip kang naghaharanap.

Masakit ang eksaminasyon kang footage. Sa timestamp na 30:46, mahihiling na ang tulo (nasa likod si Samuel Encarnacion kaya igwang kumpletong kua kan duwang turista) nakabitay ning mayong hiro hiro sa gakod. Sa puntong ini na si Loren Albay garo nawara sa kua. Sa pag-analisar kan footage, mahihiling na pwedeng tinulod siya kang sarong marikas na naghihirong bagay sa sentro kan saiyang bitis. Igwang nagkapot sa saiyang bitis asin hinila siya pairarom sa salog.

Ang salog ning Ulot kasalukuyang sarado sa mga turista alagad yaon pa ang demand sa Torpedo Boating. Ang local na mga giya nagpaplano na bukaan ang atraksyon sa masurunod na pirang semana maliban kung igwang saktong rason para punduhon ang saindang ikinabubuhay.

Saro sa mga giya, si Ramon Agbon, nagrani sa mga pulis asin tagarurip kang mga nakaaging insidente asin nagtao ning parehong taramon sa parehong pagkakataon:

 

“Ining mga tao dae pigrerespeto ang salog. Igwa kadtong naggagamit kaining lugar na pangangasuhan, nakapreparar mag atake ning biglaan. Ini pa lang ang puon.”

Ang mga opisyal pighapot pa siya sa saiyang mga taramon pero pig-uulit niya lang ang sinabi na niya. Ang ibang opisyal nagtutubod na ini aksidente sana, na ang mga giya kaipuhan lang ning mas istriktong pag-iingat para dae na mangyari ini ulit. Ang iba man minatubod na may igwang nakakatakot asin may ibang tawong kaibahan sa mga insidente.

Sa pagkawara ning dagdag na mga ebidensya, ang rekomendasyon sana kang mga opisyal ay magistrikto sa pagiingat na gibo sa Torpedo boating asin ang nasunod na paglukso sa salog. Ang mga giya nag-ayon igdi asin magibo kang dagdag na pag-obserbar kang pagiingat sa kondisyon kang lugar.

=————————————————————-=

English Version

Case # MKJG 7325
 
Police were asked to consult on a case of drowned tourists in the rapids of Ulot river. The area is known for boat rides without outriggers to keep them balanced called Torpedo Boating. After the boat ride it is usual protocol to jump into the raging river at Deni’s point where guides will tell the tourists to grab the rope before the current takes you further down the river.
 
The so-called accident happened on July 8, 2018. The two tourists, Rowena Yi and Winston Yang, both Chinese nationals boarded the boats at 1 AM. Things seemed to be going normally until they reached Deni’s point wherein, after jumping into the river, they did not resurface. Fearing that the two individuals were carried away by the river current the guides formed a search party. They managed to find the body of Winston Yang on the bank of the river 1 kilometer from where he jumped into the river.
 
Efforts to revive him were futile as it seemed he had drowned some time prior. The body was retrieved and transferred to the nearest morgue for examination. Drowning was the obvious cause of death, but there seemed to be bruises on the ankles, as if something was physically dragging him down.
 
The body of Rowena Yi was never found, it was speculated that the strong river current carried the body to the sea. The area was searched thoroughly and a Chinese team of experts was flown in to help with the search, to no avail. The search ended a month after the incident occurred.
 
On September 3, 2018 another set of tourists disappeared. This time three thrill seekers from Manila, Loren Albay, Samuel Encarnacion and Iñigo Ferrer did not resurface after jumping off from Deni’s point. The search for their bodies lasted 2 months and it seemed that nothing would be recovered as was the case for Rowena Yi, but one of the tourists, Samuel Encarnacion had a GoPro camera attached to his helmet. The camera was retrieved by one of the divers during the search.
 
Examination of the footage was difficult. During a timestamp of 30:46 it can be seen that the three (Samuel Encarnacion was in the back so there was a full view of the other two tourists) were hanging steadily on the rope. It was then that Loren Albay seemingly disappeared from the frame. Analysis of the footage showed that she may have been pushed by a fast-moving object centered around her feet. Something caught her ankles and she was dragged away by the river.
 
The Ulot river is currently closed to tourists, but the demand for Torpedo Boating is still there. The local guides plan to reopen the attraction within the next few weeks unless there is sufficient reason to block their means of livelihood.
One of these guides, Ramon Agbon approached the police and divers during these incidents and gave the same statement both times:
 
“These people do not respect the river. There are those that use this place as hunting grounds, ready to strike at a moment’s notice. This is only the beginning.”
 
Officers questioned him more on his statement, but he would only repeat what he said. Some officers believe this is all accidental, that the guides just need to have stricter safety measures so this does not happen again. Others believe that this might be more sinister and there is a human hand in the incidents.
 
With no further evidence the recommendation of the officers is to tighten the safety measures in the Torpedo Boating and the subsequent jump into the river. The guides have agreed to this and will make every effort to improve the safety conditions of the area.
 
=———————————————————-=

*Central Bicol, commonly called Bicol Naga, is the most-spoken language in the Bicol Region of southern Luzon, Philippines. It is spoken in the northern and western part of Camarines Sur, second congressional district of Camarines Norte, eastern part of Albay, northeastern part of Sorsogon, San Pascual town in Masbate, and southwestern part of Catanduanes. Central Bicol speakers can be found in all provinces of Bicol and it is a majority language in Camarines Sur.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Translation by Monmon Nietes
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Monmon Nietes

 

Inspired by the Ugkoy description in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.
 
Ugkoy Illustration by Charles Breiner A Medina
Instagram: @herbal_aria

By admin