By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD CITY – A policeman and a truck driver died in separate road accidents on Negros Island this week.
In Negros Occidental, a truck driver died after losing control of his vehicle and falling into a canal in Barangay Cabagna-an, La Castellana, last Tuesday.
The truck was carrying sacks of rice and was on its way to Bacolod when the driver encountered mechanical trouble while traversing a downhill road.
In Negros Oriental, an intelligence police operative also died after his motorcycle hit a concrete wall in Barangay Poblacion, Guihulngan City, last Sunday.
The victim was identified as Police Lieutenant John Dale Mayo, 26, of Oriental Mindoro, who was assigned to the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company.
Police Lieutenant Stephen Polinar, public information officer of Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (Norppo), said the victim was on his way back to the camp past midnight when he reportedly lost control of his motorcycle and crashed into a wall.
Polinar suggested that the victim might have dozed off due to exhaustion, as he had come from a surveillance operation against criminal activities.
Polinar noted that the victim was wearing a helmet, but succumbed to head injuries due to the impact.
Mayo had been assigned to Negros Oriental since 2022 and was about to get married soon.
A three-day wake was held at Norppo headquarters in Sibulan town before his remains were transported back to his hometown.
His remains arrived at their residence in Oriental Mindoro yesterday morning.
Polinar mentioned that the provincial police force and the Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 (Central Visayas) have extended assistance to Mayo’s family.
