CEBU, Philippines – A man who was believed to be mentally-challenged died when a public utility vehicle lost its break while traversing barangay Banilad yesterday morning.
Authorities estimate the victim to be around 30 years old. He was reportedly loitering in front of the Sto. Niño Village when he got hit by a jeepney plying the 62B route with plate number GHJ-926 from barangay Talamban.
The victim remained unidentified as of yesterday.
Ian Ylanan, 26, the driver of the vehicle, said he reportedly lost his breaks and tried to steer the jeepney away from a big tree and, while doing so, razed through a road gutter, a store, and a gate of a house.
In an interview over dyHP, Ylanan said he did his best to avoid hitting anyone and reportedly did not see the victim who was in the area.
No one among the jeepney’s passengers sustain any injury.
Benjamin Inga, security guard of Sto. Niño Village, who reportedly witnessed the incident, alleged that Ylanan was driving fast. He said that the jeepney also even hit a taxi and a multicab.
However, SPO1 Dionisio Galo of the police traffic group said the taxi and the multicab were no longer in the accident scene when investigators arrived.
Inga said the victim was not really mentally ill and was even reportedly helping at a store in the area to provide for himself.
The vehicle’s operator, identified only as a certain ‘Preming,’ also claimed that he checked the jeepney’s breaks before he allowed it to travel.
A complaint for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and damage to property will be filed against Ylanan. — Niña G. Sumacot/JMO (THE FREEMAN)