CEBU, Philippines - A 69-year-old Australian priest assigned in Cebu City was found dead in Barangay Canasujan, Carcar City.
The body of Fr. Douglas Rowe was found floating in a river in Sitio Ilaya, Barangay Canasujan shortly before midday last Monday.
Rowe, a native of Madeland, Western Australia was the founder of the Patrist Society of the Sons and Daughters of God Father.
PO2 Rosendo Binondo of the Carcar City Police told The Freeman that Rowe was with Jan Rebutazo, a nun, and Sunshine Hoyo, a broker of Land Asia, prior to his death.
Hoyo was reportedly accompanying Rowe and Rebutazo in inspecting Rowe’s reportedly in Sitio Ilaya that the priest wanted to sell.
Binondo said Rowe had purchased the property but had it placed under another person’s name.
“Sa akong nahibaw-an iya ang kwarta but dili iya ang pangalan medyo dako sad ang yuta niya,” Binondo said.
Binondo said that when the three arrived in the area, Rowe reportedly told the two women to cross the river and take more photos of the property from atop a hill. Rowe, meanwhile, reportedly remained standing in a very shallow part of the river.
Moments later, Rebutazo reportedly noticed Rowe gone, prompting them to look for the priest. They found his dead body about 20 meters away, his pants pulled down to his knees.
He was taken to the Carcar City Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
During a follow-up inspection of the area, police found fresh human waste on the riverbank not far from the body, which made them theorize that Rowe might have been defecating when he suffered from a heart attack.
This theory was confirmed by an autopsy of Rowe’s body conducted by Dr. Jose Martin Fuentes, medico-legal-officer of the Philippine Crime Laboratory-7.
“When a person answers his call of nature, it increases the body’s pressure lalo na kung may problem sa heart,” Fuentes explained.
Rowe reportedly had heart problems and was suffering from diabetes.
His remains lie at the St. Peter Funeral Homes in Lorega, Cebu City. – (FREEMAN)