2 killed in road accidents

Two men were killed in separate road accidents, one in Liloan town and the other in Consolacion town, last Saturday.

The first accident was along the national highway along barangay Yati, Liloan, where a six-wheeler truck hit 59-year-old Delfin Cabahug who was crossing the road that early morning.

Police reports said that it was still dark then and the truck bearing plate number GMU-793 driven by 44-year-old Richard Niadas, was tailing a passenger jeepney when Cabahug suddenly crossed the street.

Liloan Police investigator PO2 Rutchel Jugalbot yesterday said that truck driver Niadas tried but failed to avoid hitting Cabahug.

PO2 Jugalbot and other policemen rushed the victim to the Eversley Hospital in Mandaue City but the attending physician declared Cabahug dead on arrival.

The truck driver turned himself in to the Consolacion Police and he was then taken to the Liloan Police. He was however later released after the victim’s relatives decided not to file charges against him anymore.

PO2 Jugalbot said an amicable settlement was instead reached with the company or owner of the truck agreeing to pay the victim’s relatives P70,000. The firm already paid them P20,000 in advance.

The second incident was a collision involving two vehicles at the corner of West Binabag in barangay Tayud, Consolacion, at about 5:25 p.m. that same day.

Arley Bataluna, a 38-year-old bachelor residing at Yati, Liloan, suffered injuries when his mountain bike collided with a tricycle with plate number OV-7855 that also pinned and dragged him under.

Bataluna was taken by his brother Arnel and tricycle driver Hercel Pepito of Consolacion to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center where he died about four hours later.

Both Bataluna and Pepito were bound for Bagong Daan in Yati, Liloan when their respective vehicles collided.

Investigator SPO1 Romulo Sasing yesterday told The Freeman that the two drivers had a miscommunication.

Bataluna was coming out from the intersection while Pepito was cruising along the highway. Pepito, expecting that Bataluna was about to turn left, slowed down his tricycle to let the biker go first.

Someone however signaled Pepito to go first prompting him to accelerate just in time that Bataluna also stepped up his speed. This caused the two to crash into each other.

SPO1 Sasing said the police arrested Pepito in his residence at close to midnight and is now detained at the Consolacion police stockade. — Norvie S. Misa/RAE