One killed, another hurt as van hits motorcycle

A man was killed while his still-unidentified companion was injured and is now in critical condition when their motorcycle was hit by a van atop the Maguikay flyover in Mandaue City yesterday dawn.

Mandaue City Police traffic investigators said that the fatality, 30-year-old Brendo Ycot, a resident of barangay Busogon, San Remigio town, was driver of the motorcycle at the time of the accident.

His unidentified passenger, who had no identification documents, suffered severe injuries to the head and body and is now fighting for his life at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

A woman claiming to be a cousin of Ycot, went later to the MCPO traffic section but denied knowing the injured man who was riding pillion with Ycot then.

Investigators identified the driver of the van as 37-year-old Rex Restauro, a resident of barangay Paknaan in Mandaue City.  The van, with plate number GCL-588, was owned by a company engaged in selling bottled water.

Traffic policeman, SP03 Vicente Benabaye, said that Ycot was heading north on the flyover when the Cebu City-bound van suddenly veered to the motorcycle’s path and hit the latter.

The impact threw the man riding pillion on the motorcycle off the vehicle, over the cement rail and into the street below.  Ycot and his motorcycle were dragged underneath the van for several meters before the van stopped on the side of the flyover railings.  He was killed on the spot.

Restauro is now detained at Station One of Mandaue City Police Office waiting for the filing of charges against him.  — Edwin Ian Melecio/RAE