CEBU, Philippines - A seaman died after figuring in an accident at a bridge between Barangay Bulacao, Cebu City, and Talisay City, past 5 a.m. yesterday.
Romeo Villanueva, a resident of Sabellano St., Barangay Pardo, succumbed to severe head injuries.
Traffic investigation showed that the victim was driving a Neo motorcycle bound for Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City, and the motorcycle may have touched the gutter and went out of control. The victim was thrown off some meters away from the motorcycle and killed immediately when his head struck the pavement.
PO3 Edgardo Becoy said an ID card recovered from the victim’s body showed that he is a deck officer of a shipping company.
Becoy said they sought the help of the Crime Scene Investigation Unit after seeing a big hole in the victim’s head.
Becoy said nobody actually saw the incident as it happened early yesterday morning so they are seeking the help of the CSIU to erase possible doubts that the victim was ambushed.
Meanwhile, a basketball referee died after his motorcycle hit a tractor along the National Highway in Sitio Pag-utlan, Barangay Maslog, Danao City yesterday about 3:45 a.m.
Dead on the spot was Condrado Bonite Jr., 50, a resident of Sitio Tabok, Barangay Looc and a referee of the Amateur Basketball Association of the Philippines. Policemen tried to rush him to the Danao District Hospital but he was declared dead on arrival. Bonite was heading to Barangay Looc from a basketball tournament in Barangay Pooc, Talisay City, driving a Kawasaki motorcycle with license plate number 3054 GT.
Senior Police Officer 1 Renante Manulat said while Bonite was traveling he did not notice the freight liner tractor bearing license plate number TFU-857 with its low-beat trailer parked in a dim portion of the road.
Manulat said Bonite hit the left rear of the trailer and was pinned between the rear and his motorcycle which was stuck underneath.
The width of the national road measures 6.7 meters and each lane measures 3.35 meters.
Manulat said the tractor occupied 2.1 meters of the lane leaving only 1.9 meters as freeway.
He added that the tractor did not put any early warning device five to 10 meters away from the vehicle as a precaution. Bystanders said that the hazard light of the tractor was not turned on.
Manulat said the tractor was also parked in a dim portion of the road, the nearest lamp post was situated 10 meters away.
“Ngiob jud na diha tungod sad sa daghang akasya nga labong na kaayo,” he said.
The family of the victim is now planning to reach a settlement with the Energy Development Corp., owner of the tractor.
The cadaver of the victim was brought to St. Peter Funeral Homes in Barangay Dungguan, Danao City. (FREEMAN)