By CESAR JOLITO III

Police reported two separate incidents of farmers who were found dead in Negros Occidental’s Kabankalan City and La Castellana town, with authorities ruling out foul play in both cases.

In Kabankalan, the body of 48-year-old Estelito Tolomia was discovered in a rice field at Purok Malipayon, Barangay Tampalon, around 11:30 a.m. yesterday.

His stepson, Mervin Paylon, was the one who found him.

Investigators said Tolomia, who had been missing for three days, apparently slipped on a muddy area while cultivating his rice field and fell about four feet onto lower ground, preventing him from getting up.

Police confirmed there were no signs of struggle and no foul play was involved.

The victim’s remains were brought to a funeral home for postmortem examination.

Meanwhile, in La Castellana, authorities also recovered the decomposing body of 58-year-old Porferio Obero at Rosario Hills, Barangay Nato, on Sunday, September 14.

Obero, a resident of Sitio Nahilaw, Barangay Lalagsan, had left his home on September 9 to tend his farm but never returned.

His cousin, Levy Tinasa, discovered the body five days later.

Police said the victim, who had a history of hypertension, showed no signs of foul play./CJ, WDJ