Pastor meets horrific end in accident

CEBU, Philippines - A church pastor and basketball coach met his untimely death while eight others were injured in an accident that involved 10 vehicles along the Cebu North Hagnaya road in Barangay Canduman, Mandaue City at past 9 a.m. yesterday.

The fatality, Manulit Subang, 28, of Consolacion, was heading to Cebu City on board his motorcycle when an Isuzu dropside van loaded with sacks of sugar hit him, throwing him off his vehicle and running over and dismembering him – but not after the van hit four other vehicles.

The unfortunate chain of events started when the van, which was also traveling to Cebu City, lost its brakes near the corner of H. Abellana Street and J.P. Rizal Street popularly known as Cebu North Hagnaya road.

Traffic investigator Nelson Sadile said the van first hit a Honda XRM motorcycle driven by Alberto Tan of Liloan. The motorcycle fell on its side but Tan was fortunate to only sustain injuries.

The van then hit a Toyota Corolla taxi with plate no. GDX137 driven by Mark Joseph Mahilom of Sogod town, which, in turn rammed into an Isuzu mini dump truck which was parked on the side of the road.

With absence of any control, the van continued to travel fast and hit a Yamaha Mio motorcycle driven by Jay Paul Tan of Consolacion town. Tan sustained injuries.

The van also rammed into a public utility jeepney driven by Ronelio Cuerda Jr., which in turn, slammed into a sari-sari store.

Shortly after, the van hit Subang who was driving his motorcycle.

After it ran over the victim, the van hit another taxi driven by Fernando Forosuelo of Cebu City, a KIA sportage driven by Panculito Diola of Liloan, and ultimately a motorcycle of the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM), which was on standby.

Aside from the drivers of the vehicles that the van hit, Sadile said several passengers of the jeepney were also injured and were brought to the Mandaue City Hospital. They were identified as siblings Ge-ann Pradia, 8, and Rolly Pradia, 5, both of Consolacion; Irene Salgdao, 28, also of Consolacion; Rommel Campus, 43, of Cebu City; and AlemarAlgar, 19, of Lapu-Lapu City.

Subang’s elder brother, Mark, said his brother was a pastor at the Living Word Christian Church and a coach of a basketball team.

TEAM Director Glenn Antigua said the incident interrupted traffic in the area for almost four hours.

“Nisamot kahuot ang traffic kay nagkatag man ang lawas sa biktima unya wa gyud to hilabti hangtud nga nahuman ang imbestigasyon sa traffic police. Naa say mga naangol kay ang PUJ nga nabanggaan napasok man sa sari-sari store unya ang taxi didto pud nadumbol sa naka-standby nga mini dump truck… pwerting gubaa.  Ang Sportage dili makaandar kay guba   sad  kaayo, ang atubangan kay napasok sad sa hagdanan sa skywalk,” Antigua said.

The van’s driver, Nelson Isobal, 50, of Victoria town Negros Occidental, is detained at the Subangdaku Police Station and is facing charges of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide, multiple physical injuries and damage to properties.

A formal complaint will be filed against him tomorrow. —/JMO (FREEMAN)