ILOILO City — A 19-year-old construction worker died after he was trapped in a rice harvester in Dueñas, Iloilo on the evening of August 5, 2026.
The victim, identified only by the alias “John,” was a resident of Barangay Sibacungan, Lambunao, Iloilo.
Police Capt. Isagani Tabares, officer-in-charge of the Dueñas Municipal Police Station, said the rice harvester was parked when the incident occurred at about 9:05 p.m.
Initial police investigation showed that the victim was sitting on top of the harvester while two of his companions were seated by the roadside and playing a mobile game.
The companions suddenly heard the victim shouting for help. When they checked, they found him trapped between the divider of the rice harvester.
The victim’s companions immediately tried to free him before personnel of the Dueñas Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) arrived and provided first aid.
He was rushed to the Don Valerio Sr. Palmares Memorial District Hospital in Passi City but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician at around 10 p.m.
Tabares said the victim’s family had already been informed of the incident.
Police are awaiting the family’s decision on whether to have the victim’s remains undergo an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death./PN
