Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 8) — The body of a missing Ati chieftain who figured in a boating accident early this week in Boracay was finally found on Saturday, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said.
In a statement, the DILG said the body of Ernesto Coching, 64, leader of the Malaynon Ati Tribe Association, was found near Sitio Airport, Barangay Caticlan in Malay town.
Coching and his son-in-law Ricky Valencia were on board their motorized fishing boat when it capsized after being bumped by a speed boat owned by Shangri-La Boracay last Wednesday, April 5.
According to the police report, the speedboat driver decided to bring the hotel guests to the resort first instead of helping Coching and Valencia right after the accident. The driver is now in police custody. Valencia survived and was brought to the hospital. At least 35 foreign and local divers joined the search and rescue operations on Saturday morning.
