Solon seeks probe on racing champ's death

Manila, Philippines - Rep. Mark Aeron Sambar of PBA party-list has filed a House resolution   directing the Committee on Youth and Sports and Development to investigate the death of national superbike champion Maico Greg Buncio during a race at the Clark Speedway Circuit.

 In filing HR 1289, Sambar said the probe would try to establish measures which would uphold international safety standards for Philippine motorsports circuits and race tracks.

Earlier, Sambar filed another resolution expressing sympathy and condolences of Congress on the untimely demise of Buncio, a four-time national superbike champion.

Buncio passed away on May 15 at age 22 after suffering serious injuries during the qualifying race.

According to reports, Buncio spun out into loose gravel, was thrown off his bike and then crashed into an unfinished barrier on the speedway where a protruding steel bar punctured his body and damaged his kidney and liver.

Sambar said Buncio “contributed greatly to the development of local racing, providing inspiration to a lot of young potentials to get into motorports and bringing back excitement to and interest in superbike racing.”

Buncio’s demise, Sambar added, “is a big loss to motorcycle racing and to Philippine motorsports in general.”

The resolution calling for a House probe said that while motorcycle racing is a dangerous sport, the accident that befell Buncio might not have been fatal if not for the concrete steel reinforcement left sticking out by the contractors of the unfinished safety barrier.