Three drown in septic tank

CEBU, Philippines – Three persons, including a 16-year-old boy, drowned inside a septic tank they were supposed to clean Sunday evening in Barangay Poblacion, Cordova town.

Authorities suspect the victims may have inhaled and got poisoned by the chemical they poured into the septic tank, lost consciousness, and drowned.

One of the victims was supposed to graduate from high school this month.

The incident came 10 days after two men died in Talisay City allegedly after inhaling methane gas produced by rotten garbage they were trying to remove from a drainage of the old Tabunok Public Market.

Cordova police identified the fatalities as Joel Menguito, 42, and Israel Tajanlangit, 31, both of Barangay Poblacion.

They were rushed to the Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital but were declared dead on arrival. Mark June Escabas, 16, was taken to the Mactan Doctors’ Hospital in Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City but he died along the way.

The victims were said to have been trying to help each other when they all drowned in the almost seven-meter-deep septic tank.

PO3 Vilma Degamo, Cordova Police Station women’s and children’s desk officer, said a certain Sherwin Abaño hired Menguito and Tajanlangit to clean the septic tank.

It was around 7 p.m. when the victims poured four liters of muriatic acid into the septic tank before they decided to get inside at 10 p.m.

“Kanang four liters mahug na’g usa ka gallon unya way maayong laki ana uy (No one would survive inhaling four liters, or a gallon of muriatic acid),” Degamo told The FREEMAN.

She said that, supposedly, a septic tank must be cleaned only three days after muriatic acid was poured.

The police said Menguito got inside the septic tank first when Tajanlangit noticed him thrashing inside and calling for help. Tajanlangit also got inside the septic tank to rescue his companion but likewise ended up needing help.

“Nadunggan pa kuno ni Sherwin nga dunay nangayo ug pakitabang sa luyo mao to iyang gilipot unya mao na may iyang nakit-an nga minaog na man pud ning usa (Sherwin heard the cries for help from behind the house so he went there and still saw Escabas descending into the septic tank),” Degamo said.

Escabas was just inside their house watching television when he heard voices calling for help from inside the septic tank, so he went and tried to rescue the two men. Escabas, though, also succumbed to the gas and drowned.

Neighbors managed to rescue the three victims by destroying part of the tank’s concrete wall. The overpowering smell even caused Abaño and a neighbor to also fall faint.

“Gipukpok lang kuno nila ang dughan kay wala man kaginhawa kay nalanag pud sa kabaho ila rang gipalayo sa lugar (The neighbors tried to revive them by pumping on their chests),” Degamo said.

As of press time, no one showed up at the police station to file a criminal complaint against Abaño, as the victims’ families were allegedly convinced it was purely an accident.

Just last February 20, Brendon Arcenal Cabanes, 26, and his cousin Romeo Cabanes, 27, died from gas poisoning in Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City.

Winston Campo Bacolod, 26, and Lemuel Macaraya, 30, also suffocated with Brendon and Romeo but survived.—/RHM (FREEMAN)