PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — An elderly man in Bataraza town in Southern Palawan fought off a potentially deadly crocodile attack while washing his feet in a river behind his home.

Initial reports disclosed that the man — identified as 71-year-old Oyong Miranda and a resident of Barangay Sumbiling — grappled with a crocodile approximately 1-1.5 meters in length when it suddenly attacked his right leg at around 5:30 p.m. on 10 October.

Sumbiling barangay councilor Saramhel Armal said Wednesday in an interview that Miranda sustained a bite on the knee and wounds on his body.

"He really didn't notice that there was a crocodile in the water he was lowering himself into. It just suddenly attacked him in the river behind their house," Armal said.

The victim received around 13 stitches on his knee due to the bite.

Following the attack, the barangay rushed the victim to Rio Tuba Hospital for treatment.