2 dead, 3 hurt in 2 accidents

CEBU, Philippines - A 60-year-old doctor died while two others were injured after a car and a taxi collided at the Ayala flyover in Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Cebu City at past 6 a.m. yesterday.

Meanwhile, in Barili, a minor was killed while his back rider was injured in a motorcycle accident at sitio Tambisan, barangay Mantalongon, Tuesday afternoon.

PO2 Wilfredo Caparida of the Cebu City Traffic Division identified the fatality as Allan Cabatbat Yu, married and a resident of Rosario Heights in Bacolod City.

Sylvan “Jack” Jakosalem, chairman of the City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM), confirmed that the victim, a doctor, was not wearing a seatbelt.

Caparida said Yu was driving a Toyota Adventure (FFH-464) from Talamban when a taxi (GXJ-150) operated by the RDSMC, which was traveling from the opposite direction, rammed into his car.

Taxi driver Polares Gonimil, 44, of Barangay Buhisan, admitted he was driving fast towards Talamban to ferry a female passenger when he ran over a hump and lost control of the steering wheel.

Instead of going to the right, Gonimil said he unconsciously maneuvered the steering wheel to the left and hit the victim’s car.

Yu suffered from a severe head contusion as well as bruises on his body. He was rushed to the Chong Hua Hospital but was declared dead by attending physicians a few minutes later.

Gonimil, who complained of severe pain on his back and chest, was also taken to the Cebu City Medical Center while his passenger, 23-year-old Rachyl Timtim, of Jakosalem St., Cebu City, is now in a stable condition at the Perpetual Soccour Hospital.

Caparida said they recovered the driver’s license of the victim which shows his address is Bacolod City.

The traffic officer said they have yet to talk with the victim’s wife. Both vehicles are now under the custody of the CITOM.

In the Barili incident, Ronillo Villarin Jr., 17, of barangay Guadalupe, Carcar sustained a massive head injury while Mark Kevin Mancera, 18, a resident of barangay Tal-ot, Barili suffered bruises and fractures in both arms after they were slammed on the road.

Villarin died while Mancera was taken to the Barili District Hospital and later the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City. Mancera is now out of danger.

They were bound for Tal-ot on a black Honda Wave motorcycle driven by Villarin, who was going to drop Mancera at the Mantalongon National High School.

Along the way, Villarin tried to overtake another motorcycle owned by his classmate when he lost control of his motorcycle.

Villarin hit his head on the pavement while Mancera managed to protect his head with his two arms. A witness said another motorcycle ran over Villarin but he failed to get its plate number.

 Barili investigator PO2 Hector Veloso said he wanted to get the formal statement of the witness. — (FREEMAN)