Known 'peacebuilder' dies in South Cotabato highway accident

COTABATO CITY — A police patrolman who was actively involved in promoting interfaith solidarity projects within his unit died instantly after his car collided head-on with a ten-wheeler truck in Barangay Glamang, Polomolok, South Cotabato, on the afternoon of Wednesday, October 16

Brig. Gen. James Gulmatico, director of the Police Regional Office-12, told reporters on Thursday that the accident fatality, Patrolman Fahad Asmi Masula, was a member of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 12, a large rapid reaction unit of PRO-12.

Masula, who belonged to a Muslim clan in Koronadal City, helped push forward the police-community relations thrusts of the RMFB 12, according to his companions and superiors in the unit. 

He was immediately buried by his relatives in keeping with Islamic tradition of burying the dead within 24 hours after death.

Masula's car, a Toyota Vios bearing license plate NZA 9609, hit the side of a 10-wheeler truck approaching from the opposite direction of the Koronadal-General Santos Highway in Barangay Glamang in Polomolok.

Witnesses told barangay officials and police probers that Masula may have possibly lost control of the wheel due to mechanical trouble, having seen his car wiggled first before hitting the left frontal side of the large green truck.

Masula was declared dead on arrival by doctors in a hospital where he was brought by emergency responders from the Polomolok local government unit for treatment. 

Gulmatico said the truck driver that figured in the accident, Ronnie Anggot Torino, voluntarily yielded to policemen who responded to the incident and turned over to them his driver’s license.