A 55-year-old man was found lifeless after drowning near the Parola 1 lighthouse off the Tagbilaran City pier on Wednesday.

Police identified the dead person as Ely Penaso, a widower resident of Lamdagan St., Brgy. Cogon, Tagbilaran City.

Penaso’s body was found floating at 8 a.m. by fisherman Arnold Ocampo who was on his way to shore from a fishing trip.

According to Ocampo, he immediately alerted the Tagbilaran Coast Guard after confirming that Penaso had already passed.

PO2 Rufel Mendoza, investigator of the Tagbilaran police, said that several residents in the area saw the victim about to go for a swim at around 5 a.m.

There were no indications of foul play in the incident, according to Dr. Albert Calvelo of the City Health Office.

Calvelo confirmed that Penaso died of asphyxia due to drowning. (Allen Doydora and Weli Maetsrado)