Man found floating dead at sea; another killed in sleep

CEBU, Philippines - A man was found floating dead off the coast of the South Road Properties (SRP) near the Gate 1 exit in Barangay Santo Niño, Cebu City midday yesterday.

Maximo Canque, a member of the SRP Security Group, found the body past 12 pm.

The man, estimated to be in his late 40’s, was wearing khaki shorts and a checkered green long-sleeved shirt. A driver’s license bearing the name Arsinio Pagelion Purio, 62 of Valenzuela City, was recovered from the man’s possession, but authorities said they are yet to confirm the man’s identity. The license is set to expire on December 14. 

Canque told The FREEMAN he still saw the man alive and sitting near the shoreline about 30 minutes earlier. He even warned him that swimming is prohibited in the area.

“Gi-sita naman na nako siya una ko milakaw,” Canque said. 

He subsequently saw the man floating in the water when he returned to his post after buying lunch. He tried to rescue him, but to no avail. It was the Basak Pardo Emergency Rescue Team that declared the man dead.

Canque said the man appeared to be mentally ill and may have suffered a heart attack while swimming. “Mura man sad to siya naliso-an sa iyang utok,” he said.

In fact, he reportedly saw the man visiting the same area several times this past week. “Kada-hapon na siya naa diha mo lingkod ug murag mag tanga,” Canque said.

Meanwhile, a 53-year-old farmer died in his sleep when his relative hit him with a beer bottle on the head at a waiting shed in Barangay Lingigon, Argao last Sunday afternoon. 

Guillermo Albios succumbed to a lacerated wound on his head. The suspect, identified as Miguel Albios, 47, also a farmer, was eventually arrested by members of the Barangay Intelligence Network around 7pm and is now detained at the Argao police stockade.

PO2 Bernie Lao said that prior to the incident, Guillermo and Miguel were drinking at the waiting shed, eventually got drunk and Guillermo fell asleep on the floor. Seeing Guillermo slump to the floor, Miguel reportedly took a beer bottle, sat on the victim’s chest and hit him on the head with the bottle.

Lao said Miguel kept a grudge against Guillermo for several years now, but the families of both men never expected that things would end up the way they did.

A formal complaint for murder is slated to be filed against Miguel before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office today.  (FREEMAN)