According to the victims’ elder brother, Erwin, who serves as caretaker of the building, Marlo – who lives with him – went missing at around 1 p.m. Wednesday while fixing a chicken coop at the dry portion of the basement. Thinking that Marlo could have slipped into the water, Edwin went underwater but failed to surface. Erwin said he called up Arnulfo from Imus, Cavite, who also dived into the water upon arriving at the building past 6 p.m. He also did not surface.

It was only then that Erwin and his mother, Editha, sought assistance from the police, who called up the BFP and the MMDA.