Tragic police retirees' FETE: One dead, six injured as car plows into party

CEBU – The Christmas celebration of police retirees of the region late Sunday night took a tragic U-turn when the president of the group, who was about to leave the venue accidentally backed into a group of people, killing one and wounding six others.

The fatality was identified as SPO3 Florefino Lapinid, who was dragged by a Mitsubishi Pajero driven by Retired Col. Benjamin Miaga, 66, the president of the Cebu Organization of Retired Police Inc.

Miaga and his family were inside his vehicle and were about to leave Camp Sergio Osmeña Sr. when the accident happened.

He said that he revved his vehicle before hitting reverse, but lost control.

Lapinid was rushed by paramedics of the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (ERUF) to the Chong Hua Hospital, but was declared dead a few hours later.

SPO4 Ernesto Pacaña, SPO4 Aristo De Gracia, and Patrolman Concordio Castañares, who were among the injured, are now all under observation at Cebu Doctors’ Hospital. They have undergone CT scan to check if they sustained any internal injuries.

Also injured were police retirees Col. Edmund Binondo, SPO4 Teddy Ariza, and SPO4 Rodolfo Beduya, who are at the Chong Hua Hospital.

Miaga’s vehicle also hit two parked cars – a Kia Picanto owned by Feliciano Arriola of Nivel Hills and a Toyota Corolla owned by Florencio Diaz of B. Aranas St. Both car owners are also members of the police retirees association.

Two of those inside Diaz’s car are now in the hospital – Beduya and Pacaña.

Arriola said that it was still fortunate that he wasn’t inside his vehicle yet when the accident happened or he would have been hurt too.

He said that what delayed him was that he went to the operators of the sound system to give them beer.

Miaga has not been detained as the victims and their families said that they would not file charges against the retired officer. He has also been at the two hospitals to give assistance to the victims.

Traffic investigator PO3 Anthony Deligero said that unless one of the victims would pursue the filing of charges, they would not detain Miaga.

Sr. Supt. Louie Oppus, chief of Regional Operations and Plans Division, said that PRO-7 Chief Sr. Supt. Ronald Roderos has ordered a deeper investigation on the incident especially upon learning that were not informed about the party held by the retirees’ association.

In radio interview, Miaga said that he is willing to face investigation, admitting that the incident was brought about by human error.

He also admitted to have had some drinks, but denied being drunk. — Niña Chrismae G. Sumacot/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)