AN UNIDENTIFIED man was found dead floating approximately 7 nautical miles off the coast of Bacolod City in the waters of the Guimaras Strait Wednesday morning, February 24, 2021.
Police Lieutenant Lanie Deriada, chief of Police Station 9, said the body of the victim was found by two fishermen.
She said the victim, who had no shirt, was in his mid-20s, adding that he was already bloated.
Charlie Chavez, the fisherman who brought the remains to the shoreline of Barangay Sum-ag in Bacolod City, said he along with another fisherman in a separate motorbanca found the remains around 8:20 a.m.
Chavez said he immediately tied a rope around the victim's leg and started pulling it slowly to Bacolod City. Upon arrival at the docks of the Sum-ag fishing port, he immediately notified members of Police Station 9.
According to Chavez, the remains they recovered were around 5'3" to 5'5" in height and described that the victim was still "young."
Deriada said they are still conducting further investigation to identify the man.
Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) Spokesperson Police Lieutenant Maria Liberty Indiape said they had received reports that there were several fishermen from Masbate island who were reported missing since February 18.
There were also reports of two missing fishermen from Nueva Valencia, Guimaras who were reported missing since February 16, however, the two were found alive off the coast of Cauayan, Negros Occidental after spending several days adrift at sea in their motor banca.
Indiape said the remains will undergo an autopsy to determine the cause of death and will also be stored at a local funeral parlor while awaiting identification.
Meanwhile, P37,000 worth of shabu or methamphetamine hydrochloride was seized in separate drug bust operations of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) in Bacolod City Tuesday.
The operation also led to the arrest of Jose Paulo Tenio, 39, of Barangay Barangay Alijis; and Reymark Costan, 19, of Barangay Handumanan.
Police Lieutenant Ma. Liberty Indiape, spokesperson of BCPO, said Tenio was arrested by operatives of Police Station 7 after he sold a sachet of shabu at Purok Lote, Barangay Alijis around 6:10 p.m.
Police recovered from Tenio’s possession three sachets of shabu weighing five grams with an estimated market value of P34,000 and the P300 marked money.
Costan was also arrested by operatives of Police Station 10 in Purok Mabinuligon, Barangay Handumanan around 4:40 p.m.
Police recovered from Costan’s possession four sachets of shabu weighing 0.35 gram with an estimated market value of P3,000 and the P300 marked money.
The suspects were detained at the custodial facility of Police Stations 7 and 9. They are facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.