*Note this story is in Tagalog

Case #MKJG 7325

Inabisuhan ang mga pulis tungkol sa mga nalunod na turista dahil sa lakas ng daloy ng Ilog Ulot. Kilala ang lugar sa pagpapasakay sa bangka at tinatawag itong Torpedong pamamangka. Pagkatapos sumakay sa bangka, kasama sa pinapagawa ay ang tumalon sa Deni’s point kung saan sasalubungin ka ng rumaragasang ilog. Sa puntong iyon, doon gagabayan ng mga bangkero ang mga turista para abutin ang lubid para hindi sila matangay ng malakas na hampas ng tubig.

Naganap ang aksidente nang ika-8 ng Hulyo 2018. Ang dalawang turista na parehong galing Tsina ay sina Rowena Yi at Winston Yang. Sumakay sila sa bangka nang ika-1 ng umaga. Maayos ang paggalaw ng kanilang sinasakyan hanggang sa naabutan nila ang Deni’s point, kung saan hindi na sila lumutang pagkatapos nilang tumalon. Dahil sa takot na hindi sila matagpuan, hinanap agad ang mga ito. Nakita nila ang katawan ni Winston Yang sa tabing-ilog, isang kilometro mula sa kaniyang pinagtalunan.

Hindi na ito kayang buhayin dahil pagkakalunod nito. Kinuha at dinala ang kaniyang labi sa pinakamalapit na morge para masuri. Ang pagkakalunod talaga ang sanhi ng kaniyang pagkamatay, pero nakitaan ito ng gasgas sa sakong na parang may humatak sa kaniya pailalim.

Hindi na nakita ang katawan ni Rowena Yi, may mga bali-balita na umabot na ito sa dagat dahil sa malakas na pagdaloy ng ilog. Masinsinang isinagawa ang paghahanap at may kasama ring mga dalubhasang galing Tsina para tumulong maghanap, pero wala itong pinuntahan. Isang buwan pagkatapos maganap ang insidente, nagwakas na ang paghahanap.

Noong ika-3 ng Septyembre 2018 may nawala ulit na mga turista. Ngayon mga bisitang galing Maynila na sina, Loren Albay, Samuel Encarnacion at Iñigo Ferrer ang hindi na natagpuan sa Deni’s point. Tumagal ng dalawang buwan ang paghahanap sa kanilang mga labi at naisipan na hindi na ito kayang makita katulad ng kaso ni Rowena, pero isa sa mga turista na si Samuel Encarnacion ay may Go Pro na nakakabit sa kaniyang helmet. Natagpuan ito ng isang manlalangoy habang isinasagawa ang paghahanap.

Nahirapan silang pag-aralan ang kuha ng kamera. Makikita rito na may tatak ng oras na 30:46, na si Samuel Encarnacion ay nasa likuran kasama ang dalawa niyang kaibigan na nakakakapit ng maiigi sa lubid. Napansin na hindi na nahagip ng kamera si Loren Albay. Ayon sa pag-aaral ng kuha, siya ay maaring natulak ng mabilis na bagay sa kaniyang paanan. Mayroong nakitang tumama sa kaniyang sakong at tinulak siya nito papalayo.

Sinara ang Ilog Ulot sa mga turista, pero bukas pa rin ang pamamangka roon. Pinag-iisipan ng mga naninirahan na buksan ulit ang pasyalan sa susunod na mga linggo, maliban na lang kung may sapat na dahilan para ipasara ang kanilang pangkabuhayan.

Isa sa mga gumagabay ay si Ramon Agbon, Lumapit siya sa pulis at sa mga manlalangoy nang naganap ang insidente at dalawang beses din siya nagbigay ng pahayag:

“Hindi nila ginagalang ang ilog na nito. May mga taong ginagamit ang lugar namin para mangaso, na handang bumaril kailan nito gustuhin. Nagsisimula pa lang ang lahat.”

Tinatanong siya ng mga pulis dahil sa kaniyang isinalaysay, pero inuulit lamang niya ang kaniyang sinabi. Pinapaniwalaan ng ibang pulis na isa lamang itong aksidente, at nangangailangan lamang ng mas mahigpit na panuntunan para hindi na ito mangyari ulit. Iniisip ng iba na may mamamatay taong nasa likuran ng lahat.

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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.
 
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*Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a quarter of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by the majority. Its standardized form, officially named Filipino, is the national language of the Philippines, and is one of two official languages alongside English.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Translation by Emman Bernardino
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Emman Bernardino

 

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

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