Body of former PNA bureau chief found

DAVAO CITY—The body of the former bureau chief of the Philippine News Agency Davao, and Cebuano fiction writer Satur Apoyon was found in the village of Tibanban in Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental on Tuesday, five days after he was reported missing here.

Apoyon’s body was seen by fishermen floating in the waters of coastal Barangay Tibanban, a few kilometers from the town proper, Apoyon’s daughter Anniza said, quoting police.

Insp. Emmanuel Paquilala, Governor Generoso chief of police, said fishermen alerted police about the body on Tuesday, five days after Apoyon’s family reported him missing when he failed to return home after his routine morning walk Thursday, May 19, that used to start at 5 a.m.

“We were worried when we noticed daddy failed to return home, because normally, his walk used to take only 30 minutes,” Anniza said.

At about 6 p.m. the following day, May 20, Rose Palacio, Apoyon’s friend and a retired employee of the Philippine Information Agency, said she had seen Apoyon walking near the vicinity of Victoria Plaza Mall, but did not know Apoyon was missing.

“I even told him jokingly, ‘O, Satur, ba’t dinala mo pa ang sala mo dito (why did you bring your living room here)?” noting that he was wearing shirt and slippers.

“Okay, okay,” Palacio said Apoyon had replied. She said if only she had known Apoyon had been reported missing, she might have been able to save him. She said she merely tapped Apoyon’s shoulders before hurrying off to catch a cab.