Road mishap kills pregnant woman, hurts 2

CEBU, Philippines - A woman who was seven months pregnant died while two others were seriously injured when a multicab driven by a barangay captain in Barili hit them along the national highway yesterday afternoon.

Lenie Navarro, 35, of Barangay Bugtong Kawayan, died on the spot when the private multicab driven by Guibuangan barangay captain Nelson Gingoyon hit her in Barangay Mantalongon. Navarro’s 8-year-old niece, Eva Mae Salazar, and Joemar Bertulfo, 24, were seriously injured.

PO1 Florentino Cuadero said that Gingoyon was on his way home from Carcar City when he fell asleep while driving his Suzuki multicab. Gingoyon went out of his lane and rammed into the victims who were walking on the opposite lane coming from a church.

“Ang na-grabehan kay ang buntis kay nalagpot man…ang bata natapsingan ra,” Cuadero said in a phone interview.

After the incident, Gingoyon boarded another vehicle and preferred to surrender at the Carcar City police. He was later turned over to Barili police station which has jurisdiction over the incident.

Gingoyon is now detained at the Barili police detention cell pending the filing of the criminal complaint for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and multiple physical injuries.— /FPL (FREEMAN)