3 soldiers die in motorcycle collision

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Two active and one retired Philippine Army soldiers were killed after two motorcycles collided Sunday evening at Barangay Caidquid in Mambusao town of Capiz.

The fatalities were identified as Master Sgt. Charlie Quikoy, 52, of the 3rd Infantry Division Post Engineering Detachment; PFC Alan Alarva of the 3rd ID Service Support Battalion; and retired Master Sgt. Beltran Solmayor.

Quikoy, a resident of Brgy. Caguyuman Dingle, Iloilo, was rushed to Mambusao District Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

Alarva was brought to Western Visayas Medical Center in Mandurriao, Iloilo City while Solmayor was treated at Iloilo Mission Hospital, but the two died yesterday afternoon while in confinement, confirmed 3rd ID spokesperson Maj. Enrico Gil Ileto to The Freeman.

Initial report said that Quikoy was driving the motorcycle with Solmayor as his backrider. They came from the 3rd ID headquarters at Camp Peralta in Dingle, Iloilo and were on their way to Iloilo when the collision occurred with the motorcycle driven by Alarva.

Witnesses said the impact was strong because both Quikoy and Alarva were driving at fast speed.

Ileto said the 3rd ID is now conducting its own investigation to determine what really happened. “Our main purpose of the investigation is to prevent the incident from happening again,” he said, adding that the infantry’s Line of Duty Board will convene to determine the benefits that would be given to the fatalities. —(FREEMAN)