A tragic drowning incident in Mandaue City has claimed the life of a 12-year-old boy, following a delayed report from his companions and a desperate overnight search by his father.
Search Ends in Tragedy
The body of Jayho Jabaybay, a Grade 7 student, was recovered from the Butuanon River in Barangay Tingub, Mandaue City, past 1:00 AM on Monday, December 22, 2025. The discovery came after he had been missing for over ten hours. Authorities from the Mandaue City Police Office Station 4 confirmed they received a call about a lifeless body found at the location.
Friends Withhold Crucial Information
Initial police investigation revealed that the victim had gone to the river to swim with three friends on the afternoon of December 21. His father, Julius Jabaybay, a truck driver, had attended a company Christmas party with his wife that day. They returned home around 8:00 PM, only to be informed that their youngest son had not yet come home.
When Julius questioned his son's friends, they did not tell the truth. "They just told me he went to a computer shop and then suddenly disappeared," the grieving father shared. It was only after persistent questioning, around 11:00 PM that night, that the young companions confessed they had all gone swimming in the river.
According to the three friends, Jabaybay jumped into the water and never resurfaced. Some residents near the river reported seeing the group of four boys sitting quietly by the riverbank around noon on December 21, but they did not shout for help or indicate someone had drowned.
A Father's Desperate Search and Quest for Justice
Driven by a father's hope, Julius Jabaybay entered the river himself to search around midnight. Tragically, his son was found lifeless about an hour later. "I am deeply confused why my child went to the river. We never lacked in warning him not to go to that place because it is dangerous," Julius stated.
He also expressed doubt over the friends' account, suspecting his son did not jump because Jayho did not know how to swim. The father is now calling for a thorough investigation into the incident to find peace and achieve justice for his son's untimely death.
The victim's remains have been laid to rest at a chapel in their local area. This incident has raised serious concerns about child supervision and the dangers of unsupervised swimming in rivers, especially during the holiday season.
