By Jennifer P. Rendon and Glazyl Y. Masculino
Five persons died while seven others were injured in road mishaps in Iloilo province and Bacolod City on March 7, 2021.
The three incidents in the towns of San Enrique, Maasin, Alimodian, and Oton happened in a span of just seven hours on Sunday.
Notably, four were killed in three incidents that occurred in just an hour.
The first incident claimed the life of Vincent Celiz, 20, a resident of Barangay Imbang Pequeño, San Enrique town.
Police reports said that Celiz was with two back riders – Eve Joyce Aguaras, 24, also of Imbang Pequeño village and Rene Jay Resano, 24, Barangay Licu-an, Dingle – when the incident happened 2:25 p.m. at Barangay Compo, San Enrique.
Major Gilbert Baldevarona, San Enrique police chief, said Celiz was reportedly speeding when he bumped a 7-year-old boy who suddenly crossed the road.
One of Celiz’s back riders was thrown off the motorcycle. The bike later swerved to the opposite lane and collided into a tricycle driven by John Paul Peronce.
Baldevarona said the other backrider and the motorcycle rolled to the roadside while Celiz got dragged by the tricycle.
Celiz didn’t survive while his two back riders and the 7-year-old boy are still in the hospital.
Luckily, Peronce and his six passengers were unscathed.
Baldevarona said Celiz, Aguaras, and Resano were not wearing crash helmet when the incident happened.
Peronce was taken into police custody after the incident.
In Maasin, Iloilo, a mother and her daughter died after they got pinned by a six-wheeler transit mixer around 3 p.m. at Barangay Bolo.
Police identified the fatalities as Dycel Malquerido, 33, and her daughter Daniela Jerica.
Major Fernand Limbungan, Maasin police chief, said the two victims went with Joel Malquerido, Dycel’s husband and Daniela’s father, to his workplace.
Joel was driving in reverse to unload the mixer’s load when the vehicle slowly went downhill.
Dycel panicked and picked up Daniela and jumped off the vehicle. The mixer then turned turtle and subsequently pinned the two victims.
In Oton, an 80-year-old man died after he was hit by a Mitsubishi Fuso truck (license plate WBJ322) at Barangay Calam-isan around 3:35 p.m.
The truck ran over Francisco Tauro, 80, also a resident of Calam-isan village as he was crossing the road.
The victim was rushed to the town’s rural health center but was declared dead on arrival.
Meanwhile, an elderly man was injured after he was hit by a motorcycle 9:30 p.m. at Barangay Baguingin-Lanot, Alimodian.
Police identified the victim as Elvis Alminaza, 62, of Barangay Bancal, Alimodian.
The elderly man was walking along the road when he was sideswiped by a motorcycle driven by Domingo Alson, 19.
Both Alminaza and Alson were injured and taken to Aleosan District Hospital.
At 9:55 p.m., another road mishap was recorded in San Enrique town.
The incident injured Ulyssis John Fernandez, 26, of Poblacion Ilawod, San Enrique.
Fernandez was driving a Honda motorcycle from Passi City when he allegedly lost control of the vehicle while navigating Barangay Camiri.
He injured his head, left part of his face, and other parts of his body.
Last week, Iloilo province also recorded three road incidents in a span of three hours.
The incidents, which happened in the towns of Sara, Leon, and Dumangas, claimed seven lives.
In Bacolod City, a man died while his live-in partner was injured in a road accident along Araneta highway in Barangay Tangub here Sunday.
Killed in the accident was Tomas Gedalanga, 28, of Barangay Mansilingan here, according to the police.
Gedalanga’s partner, Beverly Pilonggo, 26, of Barangay Mansilingan, was hurt.
Police Major Joery Puerto, head of Police Station 8, said Chicel Ann Yuro, 19, of Pulupandan, Negros Occidental, who was driving a Toyota Innova, was about to turn left when she crashed into the victims’ motorcycle.
Yuro claimed she failed to notice the approaching motorcycle.
Puerto said it was too late for Gedalanga to avoid the sports utility vehicle because it already overlapped the victims’ lane.
“Na alang-alang na siya (Gedalanga), amo to nga nakabunggo gid siya sa may tunga ka Innova,” the station commander added.
Puerto said Yuro was supposed to clear both sides before turning left.
The couple suffered injuries after they were thrown off their motorcycle.
Puerto said Gedalanga was declared dead on arrival at the hospital, while Pilonggo was later discharged after being treated.
Puerto said Yuro was released from police custody yesterday after the 18-hour reglementary detention period lapsed.
Yuro and the victims’ families also agreed to amicably settle the matter.
