Boy, 11, drowns in canal

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – An 11-year-old boy died after he drowned in a canal at Hacienda Camantero 1, Barangay Guimbala-on, Silay City, Negros Occidental last Thursday.

The name of the minor-victim was withheld.

Police Senior Master Sergeant Jeffrey Solas, investigator of Silay City Police Station, said the victim went swimming with his three friends at the overflow while it was raining.

But as the victim jumped, he was carried away by the strong water current until he was trapped inside a culvert and later fell into a canal.

His friends sought help and the victim was rescued. But he was declared dead on arrival at a hospital.

Missing foreigner found dead

Meanwhile, a foreign national was found dead in Barangay Sampinit, Bago City, three days after he was reported missing last Monday, Jan. 9.

Police identified the victim as Laszlo Matyas, 63, of England.

Police Senior Master Sergeant Job Ogares, chief investigator of Bago City Police Station, said that Matyas was last seen alive on Monday afternoon while he was walking alone towards the shoreline of the said village.

On Jan. 12, a resident found the victim in the mangrove area of the said village.

Ogares said they did not see any sign of struggle on the victim or other injuries.

Police believed that the victim might have died due to a heart illness as he was taking medication, according to his 50-year-old live-in partner, Ogares said.

Ogares said the victim arrived here in October 2022 after meeting his live-in partner via a dating app.

He said the victim would usually walk at the shoreline during his free time, had no bad record in the community, and was known to be friendly.

Despite this, Ogares said they will still wait for the results of the postmortem examination to officially rule out any possible foul play.