Senior citizen dies after falling into man-made pit in Borbon

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A 76-year-old man, who lives alone in his house, was found dead after he reportedly fell into a man-made hole in Sitio Tabayng Lawom, Barangay Cadaruhan in Borbon town, northern Cebu on Tuesday morning, August 3, 2021.

Police identified the victim as Romeo Munera, a resident of the said sitio. Munera had been living alone for quite some time now, police said.

Police Lieutenant Ildefonso Rosales, Borbon Municipal Police Station chief, said that around 9 a.m. on Tuesday, their station received a call from a concerned citizen regarding a man who was found lifeless inside a man-made hole that was estimated to be two to three meters deep.

The hole was located a few steps away from Munera’s house. It was said to be a pit for his septic tank.

Munera was found after his 31-year-old grandson, Cyriel Sotillos, went to his house to ask for cooking oil.

Sotillos found it odd that the door to Munera’s house was already open when he arrived. Sotillos also noticed a stench, which prompted him to check around the house. It was at this point he found his grandfather lifeless slumped in the hole.

Rosales said that the victim’s nephew, a certain Amellee, believed that Munera accidentally fell into the hole two days prior to the discovery of his body.

Responding policemen in Borbon told relatives to subject the body for an autopsy to determine the real cause of Munera’s death.

/bmjo