A 60-year-old farmer died after he was reportedly electrocuted while using an improvised electrofishing device in an irrigation canal in Barangay Sinawingan, Libungan, Cotabato, on Thursday, August 13, 2026.
The victim was identified as Freddie Lapiña Besin, a resident of Barangay Baguer in Libungan.
According to the Libungan Municipal Police Station, Besin was using an improvised electrical device for fishing when he was electrocuted in the irrigation canal. Authorities reported finding burn marks on his body, while several wires connected to the device were found melted, indicating exposure to intense heat.
The circumstances surrounding the incident remained under police documentation, but authorities said the available findings were consistent with an electrocution incident involving the improvised device.
The incident highlights the serious dangers posed by the use of electricity for fishing, particularly when makeshift electrical equipment is used near or in water.
Police and authorities reminded the public to refrain from using improvised electrical devices to catch fish. Electrical current can travel rapidly through water and can cause severe burns, loss of consciousness, cardiac arrest, drowning, or death.
The public was urged to use only lawful and safe fishing methods and to avoid handling electrical equipment in or near bodies of water, especially improvised devices that lack proper safety mechanisms.
The death of Besin serves as a reminder of the potentially fatal consequences of using electricity for fishing, even in seemingly controlled environments such as irrigation canals.