Missing man from Lipa City found dead in Taal Lake area

LUCENA CITY—Search teams recovered the body of a 32-year-old man who had been reported missing near Taal Lake in Lipa City, Batangas, on Oct. 31. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Batangas Station said in a report released late Friday afternoon (Nov. 6) that the man’s body was found floating near Barangay Saimsim in the municipality of Santa Teresita on Thursday.

READ: Missing 35-year-old man found dead in Occidental Mindoro village “The body was sighted floating near Barangay Saimsim, Sta. Teresita, Batangas. PCG personnel and the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) of Sta. Teresita immediately conducted retrieval operations,” the PCG said. The victim’s mother subsequently identified the remains, which were turned over to the Santa Teresita police for documentation and further investigation. Citing information from the victim’s family, the PCG said the man left their residence in Barangay Banay-Banay, Lipa City, on Oct. 31 and had not returned. His personal belongings were later found near the shoreline of Taal Lake, prompting authorities to launch search operations on Nov. 4. Coast Guard personnel conducted shoreline and underwater searches, seaborne patrols, and drone-assisted aerial surveillance until the man’s body was discovered. Following the recovery, PCG personnel conducted information campaigns among local residents and fisherfolk to promote water safety awareness and prevent drowning incidents. /jpv