LGU worker dies in road collision

HILONGOS, LEYTE, Philippines — A 48-year-old widow, died when the motorcycle she was driving collided with a 10-wheeler truck along the national highway at Brgy. Owak in this town at around 7 a.m. last Thursday.

The fatality, identified as Annabel Buenafe, sustained head and body injuries after she was thrown off her motorcycle upon impact of the collision. She was rushed to the Hilongos District Hospital but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.

Buenafe was reportedly a disbursing officer of the local government of nearby Matalom town. She was on her way to the northern town of Hindang when the accident happened, and was allegedly not wearing any helmet at all.

Policemen of Hilongos, led by their chief, Sr. Insp. Shevert Alvin Machete, responded to the scene, but they have yet to issue a statement on why Buenafe was able to drive without a helmet and why there was no checkpoint at the time to address the matter.

The truck, registered under the name of Grace Galenzoga of Ormoc City and driven by 30-year-old Roger Perez, a resident of Hilongos, was travelling southward at the opposite lane from Hindang town at the time of the collision.

Perez is now in custody of the Hilongos Police Station. (FREEMAN)