Pregnant woman dead, 3 other hurt in accident

CEBU, Philippines - A pregnant woman died while three others were injured after two motorcycles collided along the national highway in Barangay Poblacion, Liloan around 9 p.m. last Monday.

Jerlyn Empasis, 31, six months pregnant, died on the spot while her husband Benzyb Empasis, 30, of Dumlog, Talisay City; Nilo Malagar, 42, and his companion Novem Wagas, both residents of Barangay Tayud of the same town, were injured.

Investigation conducted by the Liloan Police Station showed that Benzyb, who drove a Suzuki motorcycle with Jerlyn riding pillion, maneuvered to overtake a Rusi motorcycle driven by Malagar who had Wagas as his passenger.

Instead of successfully overtaking the motorcycle driven by Malagar, both motorcycles collided with each another.

Both motorcycles went out of control and their riders were thrown to the pavement. Jerlyn landed on the center lane of the national road.

She died because of serious head injuries, police said.

A barangay councilman of Jubay, Liloan called the police station claiming that a cargo truck was also involved in the accident as it reportedly ran over Jerlyn when she landed on the road.

The truck was allegedly driven by Roger Tabanas, a barangay tanod of Maslog, Danao City.

Responding policemen arrested Tabanas but later released him after the surviving victims said they were not certain if a truck ran over Jerlyn.

But police said he is still under investigation as relatives of the couple saw marks on Jerlyn’s body that seem to indicate she was run over by a big vehicle.

The police are gathering other witnesses to the incident. – (FREEMAN)