By Aaron Recuenco
A 12-year old girl almost became a meal of a large crocodile in another attack in Balabac town of Palawan, police said Saturday.
Lt. Col. Socrates Faltado, spokesman of the MIMAROPA (Mindoro Oriental and Occidental, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan) regional police, said victim Haina Lisa Habi was able to free herself from the crocodile with the help of her brother.
"They bravely fought the crocodile until it swam away," said Faltado.
The victim and her brother Hashim were on their way home at around 6:30 p.m. on Friday when the crocodile attack them while crossing a creek in Barangay Poblacion VI.
The crocodile, according to Faltado, has already bitten the victim on her right leg.
The attack, however, did not dampen the spirit of the girl who started hitting the crocodile to free herself.
Her brother also came to her rescue. He joined in hitting the crocodile.
This incident is just one of the many crocodile attacks in the past years in Balabac and nearby areas.
The southernmost part of Palawan, where Balabac is located, is home to saltwater crocodiles.
Experts said crocodile attacks is inevitable in the area since people have started to encroach on the natural habitat of the crocodile in the past years.