A shoe repairman drowned after he jumped into the irrigation canal of the Bustos River in Barangay Talampas, Bustos, Bulacan on Good Friday, April 7, police said.
Police identified the victim as Nelson Rodriges Pleno, 54, of Pitong-Gatang Street, Barangay Poblacion, Bustos, Bulacan.
(Photo from the official Facebook page of the Bustos Rescue)
Initial investigation showed that Pleno and his friend, Lindo Raymundo Arce, 40, of Barangay Bonga Menor, Bustos, had a drinking spree at the said place.
Arce told probers that at around 5 p.m., Pleno jumped into the river.
However, Arce noticed that his friend did not come out of the river, prompting him to quickly ask for assistance from Rescue 505 Bustos Risk Reduction and Management Office (BDRRMO) in the municipality.
Bustos rescue teams with volunteers from Barangay Talampas immediately responded and conducted search and retrieval operations.
The rescuers closed the gates of the irrigation canals to lessen the water flow. At exactly 8: 30 p.m., the teams recovered the victim.
Rescuers rushed the victim to Bustos Community Hospital but he was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.
The duty investigator conducted an ocular inspection at the place of the incident and found no signs of foul play.