Two persons drowned while catching fish in separate incidents in Consolacion town in northern Cebu and Dumanjug town in southwest Cebu last Tuesday.
Around 7 p.m. last Tuesday, a certain Renato Besabella, 51, married, of Barangay Upper Tugbongan, Consolacion, was seen floating in the seawater of Barangay Tayud, Consolacion.
PO2 Archival Caputulan of Consolacion Police Station said the victim was seen by residents already drunk as he boarded his motorbanca to go fishing.
“It was reported that Besabella fell from his motorbanca when he lost balance while casting the fish net into the sea,” said Caputulan.
Besabella was already dead when retrieved by fellow fishermen in the area.
Meanwhile, a 15-year-old boy also drowned while catching fish in the seawater of Barangay Tangil, Dumanjug, on Tuesday morning.
The victim identified as Kent Dupal-ag, a resident of the same barangay, was standing at the prow of the motorboat when he suddenly collapsed and fell into the water, according to Dumanjug Police Station.
The victim reportedly had down syndrome.
Dupal-ag’s elder brother and other fishermen, however, tried but failed to rescue the victim due to the strong sea current.