Businessman killed in Taguig train mishap

A businessman and pioneer of travel shows on Philippine television was killed before noon yesterday after he was hit by a Philippine National Railways (PNR) train in Taguig.

Case investigator Police Officer 2 Eris Gawoaen said 58-year-old Carlos Abrera died on the spot when he was hit by the southbound train (Body No. 403) as he was buying potted plants at a stall along the East Service Road in Western Bicutan.

His skull was crushed as he was dragged by the train at around 11:45 a.m.

Abrera, a resident of United Hills Subdivision in Barangay San Martin de Porres, Parañaque City, had been with his housemaid when they stopped by Natty’s Garden stall.

"We are looking at is the possibility that the victim might have miscalculated the train’s direction. He thought the train was on the northbound tracks, which is why he did not move away from the tracks," Gawoaen said.

The victim often buys plants along the PNR railtracks every Saturday.

Abrera was behind the creation of Lakbay TV, a travel program on the ANC channel. Also a photographer, he continuously promoted Philippine tourism. He had been working on the Living Asia Channel before the accident.

His wife Emily is an advertising executive at McCann Erickson Philippines. His son Paolo was a former host of the TV program Gameplan.

The victim’s family arrived at around 12:30 p.m. yesterday to identify and claim the body. "It appeared that they have accepted his death and they declined to have the body autopsied."

His body was scheduled for cremation last night.

Gawoaen said they plan to interview the train operator in compliance with the filing of a police report, but doubted they could file any charges against him.

"He had the right of way. The railway was created for the trains, in fact there were even barriers there before the squatters removed them," he said.

Police said five to eight train accidents take place every year.