CEBU, Philippines - A four-year-old boy was killed on the spot after his head was crushed by a Ceres Bus past 5 p.m. yesterday in sitio Unggal, barangay Bulok-bulok in the town of Barili.
The fatality was identified as Stephen Trinidad.
Pablito Timplado, 42, a resident of barangay Pardo, Cebu City, the driver of the said bus with license plate number GWK-530 and body number 8900, voluntarily surrendered to the police after the incident and is now detained at the Barili police station.
Chief Insp. Alexander Soledad, chief of Barili police station, said that based on their investigation the bus was traveling from Cebu City to Moalboal town at the time. Upon reaching the said place, the boy suddenly crossed the road and was run over.
Soledad said the victim was with his parents, Antonio and Annabelle, about to cross the road on their way to their house.
Soledad said the road in that particular place was curved and with the small size of the child Timplado may have not seen him. Timplado also said he only learned he ran over something when he heard a thump at the front wheels.
But a resident of the place, who refused to give her name, said that Antonio was drunk at the time and went out to buy soft drinks. He was crossing the street with Stephen and another son who was three years old.
She continued that Antonio allegedly held the hand of his other son while crossing the road but was unable to hold Stephen and that was when the child was hit by the bus.
Timplado is expected to face charges for reckless imprudence resulting to homicide. — Niña G. Sumacot with reports from Brenda D. Batuto from Banat News/BRP (THE FREEMAN)