Live wire may have killed man in Pasil

CEBU, Philippines – A body of a man, believed to have been electrocuted, was found lying beside a cemented pavement yesterday morning at the Forbes Bridge on Tupas Street, Barangay Pasil, Cebu City.

The victim was identified as Warren Barbon, 25, single, a resident of Sitio Lawis in the same barangay.

At around 6 a.m. yesterday, Barbon was reportedly found dead at an area nearby a construction site, according to Senior Police Officer 2 Wetzel Berry, investigator at the Homicide Section of the Cebu City Police Office.

Berry said when the Cebu City Emergency Medical Services responded to the alarm, they assessed the victim as already lifeless and in the state of rigor mortis or stiffness.

When the medical staff inspected the victim's body, they found out that Barbon's chest sustained burns which could have been caused by electrocution.

While the police have not yet obtained a witness to the actual incident, Barbon's aunt, Ester Ybañez, told them that she last saw the victim at around 3 p.m. last Sunday roaming around the area.

In their assessment,  Berry said it could be that Barbon had just accidentally side-swept a live wire while walking or doing something around the area since the burn was on the chest and not on his hands.

Berry said the current could have been very strong caused the victim's death.

Berry also said when they asked the management of the construction firm nearby about the presence of a possible live wire in the area, they reportedly denied installing any electric connection around.

The police themselves have not seen any live wire near the scene.

However, they are not yet discounting the possibility that electric connection that might have killed Barbon came from the nearby construction site.

The police are still conducting a follow-up investigation to determine what really happened to Barbon.

Barbon's body was brought to the Saint Francis Funeral Homes for autopsy. (FREEMAN)