A 15-year-old boy has gone missing after being attacked by a crocodile last night in a coastal area in Sitio Bual, Barangay Indalawan, Balabac, Palawan.
Based on a spot report from authorities, the victim was identified as Romilo Miranda, a grade 8 student at Indalawan National High School.
Police said the victim, together with his two cousins and an uncle, were fishing and diving around 10:00 P.M. when suddenly one of the victim’s cousins, who investigators identified as Ismael Sarmiento, noticed that the flashlight, which was being used by the victim was floating without him.
Sarmiento saw a crocodile biting the victim’s neck and then dragged the victim and plunged him deep under surface.
Sarmiento immediately called for help but all of them were afraid of being attacked too.
The victim’s uncle reported the incident to Balabac Municipal Police Station earlier today, September 9.
As of press time, personnel and volunteers from Balabac Police Station, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and barangay officials from Indalawan are conducting a search and retrieval operation.
The attack occured in Sitio Bual where it can be recalled that the shredded body of Cornelio Bonite, a crocodile attack victim on December 2018, was also retreived.