Man with ‘snakebite’ found dead in Dalaguete

CEBU, Philippines — A farmer believed to have been bitten by a venomous snake was found dead Tuesday morning in barangay Babayongan in the southern town of Dalaguete, Cebu.

Police identified the fatality as Maximo Millan, 64, a resident of the same barangay.

Roy Tangpos, a relative of the victim, told the police that Millan went out yesterday morning to pasture his goat in a grassy area.

Worried that the victim had not returned home, Tangpos went out to check on his whereabouts shortly before noon. At 11:40 a.m., Tangpos found Millan lying on a grassy area with a bite mark similar to that of a snake at the back of his left knee. The victim was rushed to the hospital but did not make it alive.

Police Major Clemente Ceralde Jr., chief of Dalaguete Police Station, refused to confirm that Millan’s death was caused by a cobra bite.

He said an autopsy report will be conducted to determine the cause of death and whether the wounds found on his leg were snakebite.

Recently, Cobra sightings have become prevalent in Cebu. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 explained that this may be because the snake's mating season falls from January to April.

Meanwhile, Councilor Rey Gealon believes that the acquisition of anti-venom drugs in Cebu City is now indispensible with the reported sightings of Cobras here.

Snakes range from harmless garter snakes to python snakes. But whether they kill by striking with venom or squeezing, nearly all snakes eat their food whole, Gealon said.

A king cobra, on the other hand, had been described as one of the most venomous snakes on the planet, and can literally "stand up” and look a full-grown person in the eye.

When confronted, they can lift up to a third of their body off the ground and still move forward to attack.

“We cannot afford to lose a life because of our failure to prepare for the inevitable. One life lost is one too many,” said Gealon.

Gealon, in a resolution unanimously approved by the City Council, asked the City Health Department to “store, and if none, acquire anti-venom drugs, in light of the recent sightings of snakes within the City of Cebu”.

“Gasunod-sunod man gud sightings ani nila karon, maong ni file kog reso mo acquire ana (anti-venom),” Gealon said.

Gealon admitted that the city health department has no supply of anti-venom at present.

“Wala ta ana (anti-venom),” Gealon said.

Cobra sighting in the city have been reported since last month and the latest was in Busay over the weekend. — (FREEMAN)