Two men dead in road accidents

CEBU, Philippines - Two men died after they both figured in separate road accidents in the northern part of Cebu last Sunday.

One of them, Ian Bataluna, was reportedly killed after falling asleep while driving, while Joel Tillor died after the driver of the motorcycle he was riding was hit by a car.

Bataluna, a resident of Compostela town, was driving a Honda XRM motorcycle with license plate numbers 5894 GI when it hit an Isuzu Elf truck with license plate numbers GWN 377 traveling alongside him in Barangay Pitogo, Consolacion town, past 5 a.m. last Sunday.

He was thrown to the pavement and killed on the spot.

The victim’s passenger, who remains unidentified, only sustained minor injuries.

Truck driver Aurio Lavador, a resident of Danao City, claimed that Bataluna fell asleep while driving.

Police said the operator of the truck sent a representative who amicably settled the matter with the victim’s brother.

In Barangay Estaca, Compostela, Tillor also died after the motorcycle driven by his brother rammed a Mitsubishi Lancer past 4 p.m.

Investigation revealed that the Mitsubishi Lancer driven by Fidel Gansan was traveling north while the Suzuki motorcycle, driven by Alvin Tillor, the fatality’s brother, was traveling south.

Alvin reportedly swerved to the lane of the Lancer, which had license plate numbers PLS 744.  The motorcycle was eventually sideswiped by the left portion of the van.

The motorcycle crashed and the siblings, both residents of Cebu City, were thrown to the pavement.

They were rushed to the Danao District Hospital by the driver of a multicab that passed by but Joel no longer made it there alive after succumbing to severe head injuries.

Both vehicles were also badly damaged, police said.  —(FREEMAN)