Retired cop dies in road accident

CEBU, Philippines - A retired police official died after he was hit by a speeding car while he was jogging along Alcantara St, Barangay Sambag Uno, Cebu City yesterday morning.

The fatality was identified as SPO4 Bu Combis who was last assigned as desk officer of the Mabolo Police Station. Combis, 55, retired just last January 29.

PO2 Edgardo Becoy of the Traffic Patrol Group said the victim was jogging at the roadside at 6 a.m. when a gray Nissan Sentra with plate numbers ZNH-317 came traveling in a zigzag motion towards the south and hit the victim.

The victim was thrown at the car’s windshield, at the driver’s side.

Instead of stopping to help, the car’s driver, identified as Allen Balaba, sped off. The car was found abandoned three hours later at an open space in sitio Tambisan, La Paloma Village, Barangay Tisa.

Combis, on the other hand, was taken by his relatives to the Chong Hua Hospital where he was declared dead an hour after doctors tried to revive him.

Lucilito Kyamko, the victim’s brother-in-law, told reporters that the victim was not taken to the hospital until about 20 minutes after the accident.

“Matabang pa unta to, di pa unta to mamatay kung nadali laman ug dala sa ospital. Ang mga tawo pud na nakakita didto, wa sad siya gidala dayon sa ospital kay mahadlok muduol,” Kyamko said. (Maybe he would have survived if he was taken to the hospital sooner, but people who saw the accident never bothered.)

He said the victim, who used to wake up at every 5 a.m. to jog, was on his way home.

There were no injuries found on Combis’ head and body, Kyamko said, but blood came out of his nose and ears. Kyamko believes the victim died of internal bleeding.

Becoy said the vehicle was found abandoned near the house of its owner, the suspect’s employer.

Melche Cabdur, Becoy said, owns the vehicle which is registered under the name of Servier Philippines, Inc. with an address in Makati City, Manila. The suspect, a native of Ayungon, Negros Oriental, is his family driver. — (FREEMAN)