PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan (PNA) – Officials of Barangay Sumbiling in Bataraza, this province, warned residents, especially children, to avoid swimming in the river that passes through the community while a rogue crocodile is on the loose.
Saramhel Armal, a barangay councilor in Sumbiling, on Wednesday, October 11, told reporters that a village elder had been attacked by a crocodile as he waded in the river.
He reported that 71-year-old Oyong Miranda sustained bites in the leg and body soon after he went into the water close to where the apex predator was lying in wait.
Miranda was quoted as saying that he only went into the river to wash his feet when the attack took place around 5:30 pm on Tuesday. October 10.
The septuagenarian was able to break free from the animal’s jaws, as he reportedly “grappled” with the crocodile, which was described as not being very large.
After successfully extricating himself from the crocodile’s clutches, Miranda was rushed to the Rio Tuba Hospital where he received stitches for his wounds.
"He really didn't notice that there was a crocodile in the water he was lowering himself into. It just suddenly attacked him in the river behind their house," Armal said.
The victim is currently recovering from his wounds, the barangay official added.
Bataraza is a municipality located on the southernmost tip of Palawan Island, approximately 225 kilometers from here.
The municipality is known for having wild crocodiles roaming in its waters.
In January, residents of this town managed to capture a 15-foot saltwater crocodile but it died shortly after being shot at using a small-caliber firearm.
In July, a dead saltwater crocodile measuring 14.9 feet was found floating along the shoreline of Sitio Gunob in Barangay Inogbong, Bataraza.