2 policemen, driver killed

 CEBU, Philippines - Three men, including two policemen, died while another policeman was injured after the police jeep they were on board fell into a ravine about 60 to 75 meters deep  yesterday dawn in Sitio Mag-Alambak, Barangay Mantalongon, Dalaguete.

Fatalities were identified as SPO1 Jose Geno Ursunal, 40, the team leader; PO3 Christopher Requina, 53, and civilian driver, Frederick Caruana, 30.

They died instantly as the blue jeep (SHD-128) that Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia donated to the police a few years back hit the boulders at the foot of the ravine.

PO3 Allan Sanoy, 38, survived but sustained cuts and contusions in his face and head. 

He remains confined at the Julio Cardinal Rosales Memorial Hospital.

The victims came from Barangay Dugyan, a mountain barangay, where they secured a benefit dance for the barangay’s annual fiesta.

Sanoy told The FREEMAN that they were heading back to Dalaguete Police Station at past 3 a.m. when Caruana lost control of the steering wheel while negotiating the curve portion of the road and fell into the cliff.

Sanoy, who was at the back seat with Requina,  decided to jump off the vehicle. He said he could no longer remember what happened next.

Ursunal was sitting beside the driver.

They were later found dead a few meters away from each other.

“Paglayat nako nasangit lang gyud ko sa kahoy ug sa dakong bato sa ubos maong wala gyud ko malabay sa unahan,” Sanoy said.

Sanoy said he tried to ask for help from a passing motorcycle and a multicab but they did not hear his shout.

Using Ursunal’s damaged M16 rifle, Sanoy made his way up to the road to seek help from the residents located about 100 meters away from the scene of the accident.

“Sakit kaayo akong lawas. Akong gisungkod ang M16 pero gibalewala lang nako ang kasakit kay naghuna-huna ko nga maluwas ang akong mga kauban,” Sanoy said.

 It so happened that the person who helped Sanoy is a neighbor of PO3 Noeh Rosales who is also assigned at Dalaguete Police Station.

It was Rosales’ wife who called the police for assistance and an ambulance.

Local officials sent two ambulance units and the Bureau of Fire Protection also sent a rescue team to the area.

Chief Insp. Dexter Basirgo, Dalaguete Police Chief and Municipal Administrator Rydal B. Cisne-ros also responded.

It took the responding team more than two hours to retrieve the bodies of the victims due to bad weather and poor visibility.

They had to use nylon ropes to bring the bodies to the road because the ravine was steep.

The bodies were then taken to the St. William Funeral Homes in Barangay Poblacion.

The Department of Public Works and Highways of Dalaguete and members of the Barangay Peace Keeping Action Team recovered the 9mm Beretta pistol of Sanoy and the .38 revolver of Requina.

DPWH used its backhoe to retrieve the vehicle at midday yesterday.

 Basirgo said the blue jeep was beyond repair because of its massive damage.

Initial investigation revealed that bad weather and lack of traffic signs and railings were factors that led to the accident.

Mayor Ronald Allan G. Cesante ordered a thorough investigation on the incident.

The Municipal Government of Dalaguete will shoulder the burial expenses of the victims and will also provide assistance to their families.

Sanoy’s wife Fely, 35, considered it a miracle that her husband survived.  She is saddened by the death of his three companions.

Fely said a policeman came to their house in Barangay Panagikan to inform her about what happened.

“Nahadlok gyud ko kay ingon man nga nadisgrasya maong dali kaayo kong nakagawas sa balay pero giingnan ko nga okey ra kuno,” she told The FREEMAN.

Requina’s wife, Irenea said she only received a text message informing her of her husband’s death.

The Requina couple has nine children, the eldest is 23 and the youngest is eight.  Irenea said her husband, who was in the police service for 25 years, was supposed to retire next year.

He filed his application for optional retirement early this year and was only waiting for the order.

Yesterday’s accident was not the first that happened in Barangay Mag-alambak according to Councilor Venancio Geolin.

Geolin said years ago, spirits reportedly linger in the place because of the big trees nearby.

But the trees were cut down to give way to the road widening project.

“Posible kay giguba man ilang balay. Nangayo og baylo.  Mao may ingon nila,” Geolin said.

In early 2000, a backhoe reportedly fell in the area and its driver died in early 2000.

In 2007, a passenger jeepney also fell a few meters away from yesterday’s accident site. One was killed and seven were injured. — /MBG (FREEMAN)