Rescuers work to retrieve the body of a woman from a river in Compostela town, Cebu on Wednesday evening, September 20, 2023. | screengrab
CEBU, Philippines—The body of a woman was retrieved by rescuers from a river late Wednesday night, September 20, 2023, in what seemed to be a case of drowning in Compostela town, northern Cebu.
The victim was identified by police as Flordeliza Matiga Capuno, 50, and a resident of Canamucan 3, Barangay Canamucan, in Compostela.
Her body was retrieved by members of the Compostela police together with personnel of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office of Compostela, Municipal Health Office, and some residents in the area.
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Police were alerted at around 10 p.m. via a call from a concerned citizen of a body floating in the river in Sitio Sapak, Barangay Poblacion, Compostela.
Police responded to the area and found the body floating. They managed to retrieve the body and tried to revive the woman but to no avail.
The victim was pronounced dead by Dr. Rhoda Mae Alfonsa M. Chua, Municipal Health Officer of Compostela town.
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Police said that the victim may have been swept by the strong current of water in the river at that time due to heavy rain.
Patrolman Alvin Morena of the Compostela Police Station also reported that the house of the victim was swept away by the raging waters, which may have been the reason of her drowning.
Police have advised the victim’s relatives to have the body undergo autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Compostela is approximately 30 kilometers north of Cebu City.
/bmjo