Rescuers searching for fisherman off Bohol town

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol-Rescuers were scouring the waters off Candijay town in Bohol province to search for a fisherman who had been missing since Wednesday morning.

Personnel from Philippine National Police (PNP)-Candijay, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Municipal Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) had been searching near Lonod Reef in Candijay to look for Alfredo Balbuena, 40, a resident of Sitio Sagumay in Barangay Can-olin, Candijay.

Jeryl Lacang-Fuentes, chief of MDRRMO, said Balbuena left his village on Wednesday morning when the weather was fine.

Fuentes said Balbuena’s family asked him not to sail since he was nursing a fever but the fisherman insisted since they had no other means to earn money.

When he failed to return, his family reported him missing.

A rescue team was formed on Thursday morning to look for Balbuena.

Fuentes advised all fishermen in nearby areas to be on the lookout for the missing fisherman and to report immediately to the nearest PCG, if sighted./lb