Man rescued from sea

CEBU, Philippines -A 20-year-old man was rescued by a sea vessel as he was swimming in the seawaters of Barangay Taloot, Argao Tuesday morning.

If the stories are to be believed, Faustino Barino, 20, of Panggangan, Calape, Bohol reportedly swam all the way from Calape because a man with a bolo was out to kill him.

“Malayo na yun for an ordinary person to swim. It is unusual – open sea na yun, pero possible na kakayanin if he is determined,” said Philippine Coast Guard Cebu Station Commander Rolando Punzalan.

Barino’s father, Jerry, and the police believe he has been using illegal drugs. Jerry also disclosed that Faustino had undergone treatment for depression.

Jerry learned of what happened to his son after the Calape Police told him of the information they got from the Argao Police Station. He said Faustino could have been swimming for about three hours before he was found.

Faustino was turned over to the Argao Police Station at about 9:00 in the morning after he was rescued by the LCT Sto. Niño de Bohol. The vessel was heading for the Taloot port from Catagbacan, Bohol.

Jerry, 42, in an interview said Faustino swam towards Argao thinking that somebody armed with a bolo wanted to kill him. Jerry told The FREEMAN that Faustino was depressed and acted unusual until he became ill and was admitted at a hospital in Bohol.

Jerry said his son is no longer the same. Faustino’s behavior changed after his younger brother, 17-year-old RJ, died last year.

“Naayo man siya pero didto siya puyo sa iyang lola kay manarbaho kuno siya,” he said over a phone interview. (He already recovered and even went to stay with his grandmother so he could look for work.)

But a few days later, the grandmother asked Jerry to take Faustino home because he wasalways going out with friends and was always talking back at them.

“Nilakaw siya anang buntag sayo pero wala mi kahibalo nga naa na diay siya ug Argao,” Jerry said. (He left home in the morning and we never knew he was headed for Argao.)

He plans to have Faustino checked at the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center and would be willing to have him rehabilitated if advised. — (FREEMAN)