PMA confirms death of one of its cadets

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 2): PMA confirms death of one of its cadets

Army Captain Lynette Flores, public information officer of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) confirmed Wednesday the drowning of one of the members of the PMA Class 2016 "Sinag Lahi". She identified the cadet as Brix Lee Betong, 19, a native of Benguet Province. Betong qualified as a foreign student of PMA and started his studies at the National Defense Academy in Japan early in 2012.

"The late Cadet Betong was scheduled to graduate in Japan in year 2017. We were informed that he belonged to the best in his class," Flores said. Flores described Betong's death as "accidental". She narrated that "the cadet came home for the Christmas season. It was during a Christmas (December 25) family affair when they went swimming at a resort we cannot disclose. In the middle of their rejoicings, a brother and uncle called for help as they were drowning. Betong immediately responded and was able to save his drowning relatives. Our cadet died however in his rescue efforts." Flores said that PMA "is now extending all the needed assistance to the cadet's family".

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=484010