Watchman drowns trying to get ball back

A 27-year-old man who worked a watchman of a ship docked in Pier I drowned when he jumped into the sea last Thursday just to retrieve a fallen ball he was playing with earlier.

Homicide investigators said the fatality was Allan Navarres, a native of Polomolok, South Cotabato, who worked as watchman of M/V Filipinas that was set to sail for Maasin, Southern Leyte.

Navarres was reportedly playing with his ball inside the vessel and when it fell into the water, he immediately jumped into the sea to get his ball back.

A certain Ramil Apio, who was in the area, said he saw Navarres jump.  He thought Navarres knew how to swim but the victim failed to surface.

When Navarres was recovered, he was rushed to the hospital but failed to reach there alive.  — Garry B. Lao/RAE