Russian woman dead in Barili road accident

CEBU, Philippines — A woman died while two men were injured when the vehicle they were riding fell off a 200-foot roadside cliff in the southern Cebu town of Barili around 3 p.m. the other day.

The victims, all Russian nationals, were believed to be under the influence of alcohol after three bottles of beer were found inside the ruined car.

In a press statement, Barili Mayor Pablo John ‘John-John’ Garcia IV said they already communicated with the Russian Embassy in Manila but received no response yet.

The police identified the woman as Irina Akcehoba Aksenova and the men as Iurii Sergeevich Samminskii and Georgii Arcehob/Akssenov.

Initial investigation showed that the three came from Moalboal town and were bound for Cebu City when the vehicle they were riding suddenly veered to the opposite lane and fell down the deep cliff along the national highway in Sitio Tayong, Barangay Guibuangan.

A resident told The Freeman that it was good that it was not high tide yet; otherwise, the survivors most likely would have drowned.

The police said it was Samminskii, who was seriously injured, drove the vehicle--a Toyota Vios Sedan registered under the name of Elsie Magallanes of Lapu-Lapu City.

Garcia they attended to the survivors as best as they can even if communicating with the survivors was a challenge since the two men are not fluent in English.

“The LGU (Barili) has facilitated the transportation of the tourists to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) (in Cebu City) where they are currently being treated. The woman who died is kept at the Barili District Hospital’s morgue while awaiting representatives from the embassy,” the mayor said.

He also said they are doing something to improve road safety at the accident site.

“While the area where their car fell off the cliff is not considered accident-prone because this is the first time something like this has happened,…(I) will coordinate with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to explore the possible installation of signs in the area,” Garcia said.

He also urged motorists “to exercise extra caution, especially during long drives, and to refrain from consuming intoxicating beverages while driving”. — (FREEMAN)