A 51-year-old public school teacher drowned in the swimming pool of a mountain resort in Catmon town, north Cebu where he and fellow teachers had a Christmas party last Friday.
Police identified the fatality as Rolando Almosera Gulane, a teacher in the Almacin Torevillas National High School in Medellin town, north Cebu.
Gulane and his co-teachers along with their families held their Christmas party in Imelda Aroma Mountain Resort in barangay Macaas, Catmon.
Police are looking into alcohol intake and a possible heart attack as factors in the accident.
Gulanee joined a drinking session, then excused himself from the group to take a dip.
While swimming in a portion of the pool which was four feet deep, Gulane told a group of children that he was a strong swimmer and could stay underwater for three minutes, said Insp. Roberto Hugo, Catmon police chief.
The teacher told the children to time him to check how long he could stay underwater then submerged himself in the water.
The children became worried when three minutes had passed but the teacher l did not resurface. The children then sought the help of other people in the area.
The teacher was rescued and bought to the Juan Dosado Memorial Hospital but did not make it alive.