TEODOLITO Intan, a 38-year-old fisherman, died after being struck by lightning while at sea in Barangay Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City, on August 5, 2025.
He leaves behind a family of nine, including his partner and eight children.
His live-in partner, 35-year-old Teresita Caay, who had just given birth to their youngest child on July 1, shared the heartbreaking details of the incident.
According to Caay, her husband’s eyes had turned bloodshot, and there was a visible hole in his small wooden boat. She recalled how she found his lifeless body with his head submerged in the sea, arms limp, and face showing signs of trauma.
The family is now left to grapple with the sudden loss of their breadwinner as they face an uncertain future, calling on the City Government for financial assistance.
Mayor Ma. Cynthia “Cindi” King-Chan assured that the family will receive support, including full coverage of burial expenses. The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) will also provide relief boxes and conduct household tracing to extend further aid.
Authorities are still awaiting the autopsy report from the Scene of the Crime Operatives (Soco) to confirm whether the fisherman was indeed struck by lightning, according to Lapu-Lapu City Police Office spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Christian Torres.
Torres said initial investigations revealed no visible burn marks on other parts of the victim’s body, except for a small burn on his abdomen.
As a standard procedure, police have recommended an autopsy to determine if the cause of death was due to a lightning strike or if foul play was involved. However, the family will not be compelled to proceed with the autopsy if they choose not to. (DPC)