Call center agent dead, 9 hurt in 2 accidents

CEBU, Philippines — A call center agent died while six others were injured in a road accident in Barangay Busay, Cebu City Tuesday dawn, while three passengers of a “colorum” multicab were injured in a separate accident at the Cebu South Coastal Road in the South Road Properties Tuesday morning.

The first road mishap happened along a road in Barangay Busay, Cebu City at around 2 a.m. The group of call center agents allegedly came from a drinking session at Tops and were boarding a multicab, when the driver lost control and crashed the vehicle into a tree.

The fatality was identified as certain Roy Vincent Talamor Jr., 32, a resident of Brgy. Kasambagan, Cebu City. He was seated in the front passenger seat.

Other victims were identified as Apple Nangka, 24; Dale Angelo Pantirople, 24; Jean Rosell, 26; Ferliz Mae Fajardo, 23; and Carla Songalya, 23, who were seated at the back of the multicab.

Police Major Dindo Alaras, Mabolo Police Station chief, told The Freeman that the driver was warned by one of his passengers because of their speed.

 “Gainom daw.. paspas na kaayo ang dagan. Ni-remind na gani daw tung usa ka kauban nga paspas na kaayo ang dagan ug wala daw gihapon namati (They came from drinking session. The vehicle was running fast that one of the passengers allegedly warned the driver),” Alaras narrated.

The driver identified as Dashiell Antipuesto was in critical condition as of this writing and under hospital arrest. He will possibly face the charge of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide.

Alaras said that they are yet to validate if the driver, along with the other victims, was indeed under the influence of alcohol. They will be basing the result from the driver’s blood test since he is still in critical condition.

“But based sa atong investigation ga-inom sila,” Alaras said.

Meanwhile, three passengers of a multicab were reportedly injured in another vehicular incident at the SRP in Barangay Tanke in Talisay City on Tuesday morning.

Jonathan Tumulak, traffic czar of Talisay City, said that Virgelio Zambrano Jr., 58, from Barangay Bulacao of Cebu City, the driver of the multicab, admitted that he picked up the passengers at the Plaza Independencia.

Zambrano further narrated that while they were traversing to Talisay City, he suddenly halted upon seeing one passenger that signaled him to stop. However, the driver of another vehicle following the multicab was caught off-guard by the sudden stop, hence the crash.

The other vehicle’s driver was identified as certain Edgar Alic, 26, from Barangay Lawaan 1 in Talisay City.

The three passengers who were injured were identified as Brian Ariola Red, 35; Ayline Tagalog, 43; and Teddy Dela Cerna, 50, who were immediately brought to a nearby hospital.

The drivers of the two vehicles involved are currently detained in Talisay Police Station.

Tumulak said that initial investigation showed that Zambrano’s vehicle is not registered with the Land Transportation and Regulatory Board (LTFRB-7).  JMD (FREEMAN)