Fatality's kin won't pursue charges

CEBU, Philippines - The driver of the Isuzu Forward, which rammed three other vehicles before hitting and claiming a teenager’s life and injured two others Thursday afternoon in Toledo City will no longer face criminal charges of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide.

But police said Alfredo Garuphel Jr., 21, of Ibabao, Mambaling, Cebu City and driver of the Isuzu Forward with plate numbers GHP-940, is not totally off the hook yet as they are not yet sure if the owners of the three other vehicles will also not file a case against him for their damaged vehicles. Likewise, police said the family of the injured Jerry Tolentino, 45, of Barangay Balirong, Naga, may still file a case against the driver.

The owner of the truck, Cely Yao of Aranas St., Cebu City, allegedly came up with a settlement with the family of the fatality, 13-year-old Chariza Quillobe.

SPO3 Allan Barquin, Toledo traffic police chief, said Yao shouldered all the financial expenses on Quillobe and gave money to her family.

Quillobe reportedly died on the spot after the Isuzu Forward, which was loaded with 60 sacks of rice, hit her while walking on the side of the road.

The truck was traveling downhill bound south when its brakes malfunctioned, causing Garuphel to lose control of the wheel. The vehicle then encroached and overlapped the center line of the road and sideswiped a Fuzo Calvo passenger bus with plate numbers GXP-469 driven by Rolando Baybay, 38, which was traveling on the opposite lane.

Tolentino, a passenger of the Calvo bus, sustained minor injuries after the truck hit the left side portion of the bus where he was seated.

The truck then sideswiped a parked Isuzu Elf cargo with plate numbers YDK-679 owned by Wilfredo Miñenza of Toledo City before hitting Quillobe, who was walking on the roadside.

The Isuzu Forward continued and hit Corominas Brothers passenger bus with plate numbers GXC-516 driven by Enrique Gecain, 45, of Barangay Poblacion, Tuburan before it fell into a ditch, causing injuries to Garuphel.

The victims were rushed to Toledo City Hospital but Garuphel and Tolentino were later transferred to a hospital in Cebu City. (FREEMAN)