BY: VANESSA BUGTONG
A 37-year-old man drowned after falling into the Mestizo River in Barangay Beddeng Laud, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur.
The victim’s body was found floating in the river around 7:00 AM on May 19.
A passerby saw the body and alerted authorities.
With the help of Vigan police and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), the body was recovered and brought to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.
According to Vigan City Police, CCTV footage showed the man walking alone near the riverbank at around 5:58 PM on May 18.
“He seemed to stop by the edge of the river. He was about to sit down, but then suddenly fell,” said PLTCOL Raynaldo Mendoza Jr., Vigan police chief.
Police said the victim had been drinking and was on his way home when he decided to stay by the river.
“You could see from the footage that his steps were unsteady. He was clearly drunk,” Mendoza said. “His family members also confirmed that he had been drinking the whole day.”
Although there was a knee-high rope barrier installed along the riverbank, the man still managed to fall.
“There was a barrier, but he still went close to the edge,” Mendoza added. “If he had been in a clear state, he wouldn’t have fallen.”
Local fishermen told authorities that the water in the area is deep and dangerous because it’s where river water exits Vigan.
To avoid similar accidents, Vigan police have coordinated with the barangay to raise the riverbank barriers.
This is the first reported incident of a fall and drowning in the area.
