By Jennifer P. Rendon
A 40-year old man was killed while seven others were injured after their vehicle figured in an accident late evening of July 31, 2020 in Jaro, Iloilo City.
Joel Velasco, 40, a resident of Maasin, Iloilo was declared dead at the Western Visayas Medical Center in Mandurriao district.
Velasco’s companions fortunately survived the incident – Ronel Calves, 21; Gilvi Ane Maghopoy, 20; Ernie Villaruel, 38; Joy Melgar, 44; Gian Reteracion; and Ched Marco, 22. All are residents of Maasin town.
The other victim, Roy Mar Panes, 35, is a resident of Pavia, Iloilo.
Police Staff Sergeant Jeffrey Janay, Iloilo City Police Office-Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Section (ICPO-TEIS) investigation, said Marco was the driver of the Mitsubishi Montero Sports SUV that hit the center island and later rammed into a streetlight post along B. Aquino Ave. at Barangay Dungon-B, Jaro.
The incident happened 11:15 p.m. of Friday. “At that time, there was a heavy downpour,” Janay said.
One of the victims alleged that they came from a birthday party in Arevalo district and were on their way home when the incident happened.
The group were under one employment company with Melgar as their “boss.”
Janay confirmed that several bottles of unopened Tanduay Rhum were found in the back portion of the vehicle,
But it remains inconclusive if Marco was drunk when the accident happened.
“After the incident, when I talked to him, he was not reeking with liquor,” he said.
Marco said he lost control of the vehicle because of the slippery road.
But Janay also insisted that Marco was speeding as he was navigating the area.
Some victims were not immediately taken out of the vehicle after they got pinned in the streetlight post.
Members of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) responded to take out the victims. They were eventually brought to three hospitals for treatment.
Janay said Marco might be facing charges for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide with multiple physical injury and damage to property.
