MANILA, Philippines - A decomposing body of an unidentified male person was reportedly found floating near an island in Capiz province Thursday morning, the Philippine Coast Guard reported yesterday.
PCG spokesman Lieutenant Commander Arman Balilo said that efforts will be conducted to determine the identity of the person and to determine if it was one of the fatalities from the wreckage of M/V Catalyn-B that sank near Limbones Island in Cavite or from the M/V Baleno 9 that capsized in Batangas last month.
In the initial information reaching the PCG headquarters, it appeared that at around 7:30 a.m. on Jan. 21, fisherman Vincent Francisco on board a motorized boat M/B Avagail and was about to go fishing when he spotted the floating body some five nautical miles of Northeast of Otolan Island, Roxas City.
The fatality was said to be 5’5 feet in height, of medium built, white complexion, around 30 to 35 years old, with a detached left shoulder and wearing a red and white stripe shirt and black short pants.
Francisco fished the body out of the water and immediately told Barangay Olotayan chairman Bongbong Aninang, of Barangay Olotayan in Roxas City, who relayed the information to the PCG detachment in Banica.
The body was brought to the Banica Wharf where they checked if there was anything that could shed light to his identification. It was later brought to De Jesus Funeral Homes Service.
Balilo said that while the body was already in a state of decomposition, “there is a slim chance that it came from either the M/V Catalyn-B or M/V Baleno 9 because it is already too far.” – Evelyn Macairan