Priest found dead in river

A 69-year-old Australian priest was found dead floating in a river last Monday morning in sitio Ilaya, barangay Can-asujan, Carcar City, southern Cebu.

Fr. Douglas Leslie Rowe, S.F.P., of Midland, Western Australia, was the founder of the Patrist Society of the Sons and Daughters of God the Father.

The Patrist Society has a house in St. Jude Acres, Bulacao, Cebu City.

Investigation showed that Rowe together with Sister Jan Rebutazo and real estate broker Sunshine Hoyo went to the area to inspect a lot that Rowe owned.

When they reached the area, Rowe asked Rebutazo and Hoyo to cross the river near the lot, climb the hill on the other side of the river and take pictures from there.

Rebutazo and Hoyo said they left Rowe on the side of the river and did what they were told.

They returned from the hill on the other side of the river a few minutes later. They, however, were surprised to find Rowe’s body floating in the waist-deep river, about 10 meters from where he was standing earlier. He also had a cut on his forehead and eyebrow.  They brought Rowe to the hospital, but he didn’t reach there alive.

Sister Rebutazo told SPO1 Irving Avila, Carcar City Police investigator, that Rowe had  heart and kidney problems and was suffering from diabetes.

Avila said Rowe could have suffered a heart attack while relieving himself.

Police were still investigating the incident further. /Correspondent Rhea Ruth V. Rosell with a report from Correspondent Gabriel C. Bonjoc