Bucao mulls filing charges against barangay officials

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Vice Mayor Alan Bucao is contemplating filing charges against the person or group of persons who allowed the barangay tanod, who collided with his son last Saturday, to use a government-issued motorcycle without a driver’s license.

“I personally saw that the motorcycle used by Antik (Reynante Rabaya) was a red plate. And based on the investigation of the traffic police, Antik had no driver’s license. So the fact that the barangay or anyone allowed him to use the motorcycle is a big question,” said Bucao, chief of the City of Talisay-Traffic Operations and Development Authority.

Rabaya, a barangay tanod of San Roque, Talisay City, was driving a motorcycle with plate number SG-4466 during the accident to reportedly respond to an alarm in sitio San Rafael when he accidentally collided with Bucao’s son, Christian Alan.

Christian Alan was also driving a motorcycle (4978 GP) reportedly on his way to school during the accident.

Rabaya died Monday dawn while being treated at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

Bucao said his lawyers have suggested that they sue the barangay officials for the alleged negligence, but according to him, he does not want to jeopardize their relationship with barangay chief Jun Cabrera and his council.

Meanwhile, the vice mayor cried foul over reports that he was behind the alleged whitewashing of the incident.

He said if the traffic division did not give details about the Saturday collision, it is because both parties, Rabaya and his son, were still being treated at the hospital.

The other day, Supt. Eddie Recamara, chief of the Talisay City Police Station, ordered that Inspector Ricardo Echavez, chief of the Talisay City Traffic Division, and PO2 Henry Diano, the case investigator, be investigated for allegedly concealing facts relating to the incident.

As to the suggestion that his son should be detained, Bucao said he would fight against it, as he believes his son was the victim.

“I am willing to surrender my career just to protect the future of my son,” he said, adding that if Christian Alan was at fault, he would immediately surrender him to the authorities.

The vice mayor explained during that time Christian Alan was driving towards the direction of Cebu City on the left lane when Rabaya, who was on the right lane immediately made a sudden left turn, which resulted to the accident.

While Rabaya died because of head injuries, as he was not reportedly wearing a helmet at that time, Christian Alan, after spending a few days at the hospital, was discharged last Monday. (FREEMAN)