Tree kills boy, 2, hurts his parents

CEBU, Philippines - A two-year-old boy died while his parents were injured after an ipil-ipil tree, which was hit by a road grader, fell on them on Monday along Barangay Esperanza, Aloguinsan, Cebu.

Daniz Abendan was declared dead on arrival at Cebu Provincial Hospital in Carcar City while his father Roldan and mother Genevieve were treated of their minor injuries.

The driver of the grader, Jerry Abamo, 41, was taken into police custody.

The freak accident reportedly happened past 11 a.m. yesterday while the Abendans were riding a motorcycle bound for Carcar City with Roldan driving the vehicle and Genevieve carrying their son on her arms.

When they reached Barangay Esperanza, Roldan maneuvered the motorcycle away when he saw a grader running backwards and was descending the road.

Abamo, a native of Hindang, Leyte, works at a construction company tasked to perform road works in the barangay.

The grader, however, bumped into an ipil-ipil tree, causing it to fall and hit the motorcycle.

The boy was badly injured and was rushed to the hospital. However, the child did not make it there alive.

The police invited Abamo to the police station and placed him under custody while the investigation was ongoing.

He was released yesterday morning after the parents agreed to settle the matter amicably with the driver, who promised to shoulder the burial expenses. — (FREEMAN)