Road accidents kill three

CEBU, Philippines - Three persons were killed while three others were injured in separate vehicular accidents in the towns of Sta. Fe and Catmon and Naga City last Monday.

In Barangay Pooc, Sta. Fe, 17-year-old Bryan Batiancila died while 18-year-old Franky Sevilleno was injured when the motorcycle they were riding hit a concrete barangay marked shortly before 1 a.m.

Batiancila, of Barangay Poblacion, was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician at the Bantayan District Hospital where he and Sevilleno, of Barangay Sillon, Bantayan, were taken.

Sevilleno was then referred to a hospital in Cebu City for further treatment. Sevilleno was driving the Honda XRM motorcycle with plate number IM 6593 he and Batiancila were on when the incident happened.

Investigation conducted by PO3 Marino Cajes revealed that the victims came from Barangay Poblacion and were bound for Bantayan town at that time. While maneuvering a blind curve, Sevilleno reportedly lost control of the motorcycle which led to the accident.

About three hours later, Raymond Paunil, of Barangay Cabungahan, Naga City, died while his two passengers were injured after they hit a Fuso truck on the National Highway of Barangay Tinaan, Naga City.

Paunil was declared dead on arrival at the South General Hospital while those injured were identified as Raul Santintigan and Ronel Deguma, both of Barangay Inuboran. They were taken to the South General Hospital but were later referred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.

Prior to the incident, Paunil was driving the motorcycle heading towards Cebu City while the Fuso truck with license plate number GKZ-137 driven by Ramon Lequin, 49, and of Bogo City, was traveling in the opposite direction.

The truck reportedly made a left turn to enter the gate of the APO Cement plant as a traffic aide signaled the motorcycle to stop as the truck already crossed the left lane.

But, the motorcycle was traveling at a high speed and failed to apply brakes immediately which caused it to hit the right step board of the truck.

Lequin is now detained at the Naga City police stockade pending the filing of charges.

In another incident, a retired soldier was killed after his motorcycle rammed a jackfruit tree along the National Highway of Barangay Panalipan, Catmon town, around 6:20 p.m.

Gilfredo Auman, 62, and a resident of the said place, was declared dead on arrival at the Danao Provincial Hospital.

SPO1 Florante Sitoy revealed that Auman was reportedly under the influence of liquor as he was seen drinking with some friends before he left to go home.

Auman was on board his Honda Wave 110 motorcycle with license plate numbers GT-7011when the incident happened. He reportedly traveled in a zigzag manner and at high speed before he rammed the tree.  — (FREEMAN)