Family killed in road accident
A family of three died when they were hit by a tanker as they were traveling S. Osmeña Boulevard in Cebu City on board a motorcycle at past 9 p.m. last Thursday night.
The mother, Maria Rigina Sohitado, died on the spot while her husband, Lendie, and their nine-year-old son, Redel, passed away later at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.
“Naligsan ang ulo sa babaye. Ang father duna’y head injury. Ang bata naa sad (injury),” said Nagiel Bañacia, head of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office.
PO3 Venerando Bacalso, Jr. said the father and son sustained serious head injuries, bone fractures, and abrasions in different parts of their bodies.
It was Lendie who was driving the motorcycle. The family was on their way home to Liloan town from a Christmas party.
The driver of the tanker, Mariano Ybanez Rodriguez, was drunk at the time of the incident. He is detained at the Mabolo Police Station.
The tanker and the motorcycle ridden by the family were both heading north.
Rodriguez said he did not notice that his vehicle had hit the victims because it was dark and that the side lights of the tanker were reportedly not functioning.
"Kung nakit-an nako to unsay nahitabo sa luyo, hunongan nako to," Rodriguez said.
He said he will face the charges that will be filed against him.
Bañacia urged drivers to be more careful.
“Balik gihapon sa pahimangno nga magamping sa pag-drive. Based sa amo data sa Cebu City ambulance, kasagaran dagko mahitabo vehicular accidents gyud,” Bañacia said.
CCDRRMO has recorded seven accidents from 7 p.m. on December 13 to 5 a.m. on December 14. These incidents resulted to three deaths and six injuries.
Bañacia said the city’s Command Control Center (C3) is on standby because road accidents are reportedly rampant during the Christmas season.
“All standby alerts, sugod karon (last night), expected ta nga sugod karong gabii ug ugma (today), daghan og party. Labi na og government offices and corporations kay toward sa weekends naman,” Bañacia said.