Palm tree falls, kills tanod

CEBU - A 68-year-old barangay tanod was pinned to death by a palm tree just outside his house yesterday morning at the boundary of barangays Pit-os and Bacayan.

The victim was identified as Agustin Villaban, who had served barangay Pit-os as tanod for 30 years.

Responding staff of the City Disaster Coordinating Council, Edgar Lapeña, said that Villaban was hit by the big tree on his nape which resulted to his instantaneous death around 8 a.m.

Alvin Santillana, also of the CDCC, said that the victim was making a passageway for the water outside his house when the incident happened.

PO3 Jennifer Velasco, responding officer of Talamban police, said that the victim was busy clearing the area at the back of their house.

It was raining hard when the incident happened.

Relatives and neighbors tried to pry the victim out of the fallen tree, but could not save him. 

The body was already wrapped in a blanket when the police arrived.

The palm tree reportedly was uprooted when the soil softened due to the heavy rain. The victim’s house was also hit by the tree.

Meanwhile, a cave-in happened at a construction site at the corner of Escario and Juana Osmeña streets due to heavy downpour around 6 a.m. yesterday.

Alvin Santillana, staff of the City Disaster Coordinating Council, said that the cave-in was due to too much water brought about by the heavy rain. The water allegedly penetrated the soil and loosened the foundations of the structure.

Santillana said that a large part of the street caved in and a traffic light and even drainage was damaged.

Santillana, however, said that there were no casualties or injuries reported. — Niña Chrismae G. Sumacot/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)