Korean driver vows not to flee country
The Korean woman whose van hit and killed a female traffic enforcer near a mall in barangay Banilad in Cebu City last July 15 promised to foot the victim’s hospital and funeral expenses.
Lawyers of Sun Kyung Heo assured acting Mayor Edgardo Labella that she would not leave the country pending resolution of the complaint for reckless imprudence resulting to homicide filed against her in court.
Labella said Sun’s lawyers visited his office Wednesday to assure him that their client would face the case and give justice to the death of Citom traffic aide Ma. Teresa Bascones.
“I asked them never to ask the immediate relatives of the enforcer to sign anything, be it a waiver or an affidavit of desistance or settlement in the absence of a city government lawyer,” Labella said.
Sun has been living in Cebu with two children for years while her husband works in China, the vice mayor was told.
EXPENSES
Her children are even studying here, “making it difficult for her to leave Cebu.”
Sun’s lawyers told him that their client paid for Bascones’ hospital bills amounting to P90,000 and would also take care of her funeral expenses at the St. Peter’s Memorial Chapel on New Imus Road.
Bascones was manning a U-turn slot outside the Country Mall about 6 p.m. on July 15 when she was hit by the van driven by Sun who was exiting the mall.
Labella said the city government would still process the traffic aide’s P10,000 burial assistance.
The fatal accident drew public attention to the risks faced by traffic aides of the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom).
Labella said he is happy to see traffic aides and even street cleaners wearing their reflectorized vests for visibility after he issued a memorandum for them to wear safety vests as part of their uniform.
DRUNK DRIVER
Meanwhile, a 28-year-old man is facing trial for drunk driving after his motorcycle hit another Citom traffic enforcer three days after the fatal accident near Country Mall.
Ronald Batiancela of barangay Quiot Pardo in Cebu City, was charged with “resistance and disobedience to a person in authority” and “driving under the influence of liquor” before the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) last Tuesday.
Bail was set at P2,000 for the first charge and P5,000 for the other case.
Traffic enforcer Francisco Malilong, 51, was manning traffic at the junction of Gen. Maxilom Ave. and Gorordo Ave. past 4 p.m. last July 18 when he saw Batiancela driving his motorcycle in a “negligent and imprudent manner.”
Malilong said he approached Batiancela and his back rider and signaled them to stop. The driver suddenly drove the motorcycle towards the traffic aide and hit his legs.
The traffic enforcer held on to the clutch lever to prevent the motorcycle from moving, which threw the riders to the ground.
Malilong managed to radio for back up.
Batiancela allegedly challenged the Citom enforcer to a fistfight.
Batiancela was arrested and brought to the Cebu City Medical Center where he tested positive for alcohol use.
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‘Low morale’ over death of a traffic enforcer killed by reckless Korean driver
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