BY JEN BAYLON
ILOILO City – A barge crew member missing since Saturday was found dead early Sunday morning, Nov. 5.
Morris Almen, a security guard with the Philippine Port Authority, made the grim discovery during a routine patrol.
He noticed something floating in the water and, using a flashlight, confirmed it to be a human body. He immediately alerted the Philippine Coast Guard.
The deceased, clad in a yellow shirt and orange shorts, was initially identified as Joeffi Tupaz by his colleagues at Barge KKC 03 docked in the Iloilo River.
The Philippine Coast Guard contacted Tupaz’s family, who confirmed his identity, to arrange for the body’s turnover.
Ermie, Joeffi’s sibling, suspects that fatigue and alcohol may have played a role in his brother’s death.
Crew members reported last seeing Tupaz around 1:30 a.m. on Nov. 4 during a drinking session. It is believed that he might have accidentally fallen off the barge while relieving himself.
The investigation is ongoing, and the family has opted for a postmortem examination of Tupaz’s remains./PN
