Navy officer’s body found floating in Manila Bay

MANILA, Philippines - The body of a Navy officer who went missing while on warfare training in Manila Bay was recovered by his colleagues on Friday after two days of searching.

Ensign John Clet Edward Labalan was found floating in Manila Bay, some three nautical miles from the Philippine Navy SEALs headquarters at Sangley Point, Cavite, according to Navy spokesman Col. Edgard Arevalo.

Labalan and 32 other trainees underwent a night combat reconnaissance training that requires them to swim covertly from a ship to the shore on Sept. 30.

He reportedly became entangled in a fishing net cast by local fishermen and drowned.

Labalan, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 2013, applied with the Navy SEALs in June. He endured rigorous training under one of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ most elite units.

The Navy SEALs (sea, air, and land) are sometimes called “the complete soldiers.” They are trained in covert military operations on all fronts and terrains.

They are capable of conducting search and destroy operations, reconnaissance missions and enemy demolition, even underwater demolitions.

The exercises were supposed to end this month. But it was suspended by Navy chief Vice Admiral Jesus Millan following the incident.

Millan wanted the Board of Inquiry to evaluate if lapses were committed during the training.

“The inquiry will determine whether safety precautions and procedures were observed and if there is anybody who should be held accountable for the incident,” Arevalo said.