CEBU, Philippines - A 14-year-old boy playing basketball at the side of the road in Barangay Balabagon, Moalboal, southern Cebu died when he was hit by a bus.
The ball slipped from John Roy Gabate Rabusa’s hands while he was dribbling and he chased after it.
PO3 Fabio Fernandez and PO2 Benedicto Rubia of the Moalboal Police Station disclosed that Rabusa was unaware of the approaching bus.
Jackie Villanueva of Barangay Ilaya, Dumanjug, was driving the Librando Bus bound for Badian. He did not notice immediately the ball rolling down the hill and the boy chasing after it.
Villanueva stepped on his break, hoping to avoid the child, but it was already too late.
Based on the police investigation, a Ceres bus was in front of the Librando Bus. The boy waited for the Ceres bus to pass before he went for the ball, his back to the Librando Bus that was fast approaching.
The boy’s head was hit by the left bumper of the bus. He was thrown five meters away because of the impact. He fell into a canal.
He sustained severe injuries in the different parts of his body. Boy Aquino, a tricycle driver, took the boy to the Badian District Hospital.
Villanueva surrendered to the police station. However, Rubia said the driver was released at around 10 p.m. because the bus company rendered assistance to the boy’s family. — Mellanie Joy C. Rosales/JPM (FREEMAN NEWS)