This is the recovered body of a man found floating off the seas of Barangay Looc in Mandaue City on Feb. 26. | MCPO photo via Paul Lauro
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — A Police official in Mandaue City is urging the public to avoid swimming when one is drunk especially if the weather is not so good.
Police Captain Waldo Batad, the assistant station chief of the Opao Police Station of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), said this after a dead man was found at Ouano Wharf in Barangay Looc, this city, on Tuesday afternoon, July 25.
The victim was identified as Mario Garcia, 47 years old and a resident of Barangay Babag in Lapu-Lapu City.
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Based on the report of the Opao Police Station, according to the statement of Garcia’s daughter Mary Ann Garcia, 26 years old, her dad or father was missing since Sunday, July 23.
His father with his relatives allegedly went to the beach and had a drinking session at around 4 p.m. in Sitio Turil, Barangay Canjulao in Lapu-Lapu City.
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At around 5:30 p.m., Garcia was seen in the middle of the sea waving his hand, they then tried to rescue him but this was very difficult because of the strong waves, which caused them to return to the shore.
They went back again to sea to rescue Garcia by using four boats, but he was already nowhere to be found.
Garcia’s body was found on Tuesday afternoon, July 25, at Ouano Wharf in Barangay Looc, Mandaue City.
It was at noon when the Opao Police Station received a call from the City Tactical Operations Center (CTOC) informing them of the body found at the Wharf.
They then immediately went to the area wherein the body was still found floating at the sea.
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A retrieval operation was conducted by the coast guard. The body was retrieved at 12:35 p.m. Based on the investigation, the Coast Guard was informed by a captain of a ship that there was a body floating near their vessel.
Later that day, at past 3 p.m, Mary Ann went to the area where the body was found and confirmed that it was her missing dad or father.
With this death, Police Captain Batad again reminded the public to avoid swimming if one was drunk especially if the weather was not so good.
“Pahimangno labi na karun kusog ang hangin, magmatngun maglawig sa kagadagatan. Mas maayo likayan ang pagkaligo sa dagat rong panahona,” said Batad.
(I am warning the public especially now that the wind is strong, that they should be careful in sailing at sea. It is even better not to go swimming at the beach at this time.) | With Paul Lauro
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