CALASIAO, Pangasinan — Local authorities are investigating the death of a 33-year-old construction worker whose body was recovered from a local river on Thursday morning, May 28, 2026. While local social media groups quickly flared up with rumors of foul play, local police have moved swiftly to quell public speculation, pointing to a probable accidental drowning.

The discovery has left a local community reeling and a family mourning the sudden loss of a man described by loved ones as a dedicated provider.

The body was spotted floating in the Marusay River around 7:30 AM by residents of the area. Alarmed by the sight, locals immediately contacted the Calasiao Police Station, prompting emergency personnel and investigators to rush to the scene to retrieve the body.

"We received the report around 7:30 in the morning after citizens spotted the body and called us. Our officers immediately responded to the scene," Police Lieutenant Colonel Rodel Gabatin, chief of the Calasiao Police Station, stated in an interview.

Authorities formally identified the deceased as a 33-year-old construction worker and a resident of nearby Barangay Ambonao in Calasiao.

Shortly after the retrieval, unverified reports began circulating across social media platforms alleging that the victim’s hands had been tied—fueling public anxiety over a potential homicide. However, Lt. Col. Gabatin categorically dismissed these online claims during a press briefing, clarifying that the body's positioning was a natural post-mortem physical occurrence rather than the result of a violent crime.

Forensic examiners confirmed that the victim's body bore no lacerations, defensive wounds, or visible signs of physical trauma to suggest an attack. Addressing online rumors that the victim was bound, Police Lieutenant Colonel Rodel Gabatin clarified that the locked positioning of the hands was simply a natural stiffening of the muscles due to rigor mortis.

Furthermore, medical professionals noted that the blood observed coming from the victim's ear is a recognized physiological occurrence in cases of severe asphyxiation caused by drowning.

The victim had been missing for roughly 24 hours prior to the grim discovery. According to his mother, Arma Ferrer, he was last seen alive on Wednesday, May 27, when he boarded a tricycle en route to Barangay Caranglaan in the neighboring city of Dagupan. He never returned home.

Grieving family members have expressed total shock over the tragedy.

"My son was a very good, hardworking man," Ferrer said through tears, remembering her son's character. "He was never disobedient or troublesome. He was incredibly kind."

While the initial assessment heavily points to accidental drowning, local police are keeping the investigation open. An autopsy is expected to finalize the official cause of death and piece together the victim's final hours between leaving for Dagupan City and ending up in the Marusay River.