Police and an ambulance arrive at the scene where a taxi and a motorcycle-for-hire collided past 1 p.m. of Dec. 22, 2019, along the highway of MEPZ 1, Barangay Pusok, Lapu-lapu City, injuring three persons. |Photo from the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office Station 5
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The drivers of a taxi and motorcycle-for-hire and the latter’s female back rider all ended up in the hospital after the two vehicles collided this afternoon, Sunday, at 1 p.m., December 22, 2019, along the highway of MEPZ 1, Barangay Pusok, Lapu-lapu City on Mactan Island.
Police Corporal Anthony Piencenaves of Station 5 police told CDN Digital that the motorcycle driven by Jundrell Balaba, 22, of Barangay Cubacub, Mandaue City was heading to Barangay Soong of Lapu-lapu City when the incident happened.
Balaba’s back rider, Chimmy Omiter, 32, from A.S. Fortuna Street, Barangay Banilad, Mandaue City, was going to visit his husband in jail when they were suddenly hit by an oncoming taxi driven by Norial Quartrokruz, 32, of Barangay Alang-alang, Mandaue City.
Piencenaves said Balaba and Omiter were thrown off from the motorcycle and landed on the ground.
Balaba and Omiter sustained body injuries while Quartrokruz had bruises and complained of difficulty in breathing after the airbag on the driver’s seat of the taxi exploded upon impact.
Based on the initial investigation, Piencenaves said Quartrokruz was driving fast and counter-flowed, which led him to collide with the motorcycle.
Piencenaves said they immediately rushed the three individuals to the Mactan Hospital but they needed further treatment and were transferred to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.
Piencenevas said they were preparing charges for reckless imprudence resulting to multiple physical injuries and damage to properties against Quartrokruz.
However, Piencenaves said that if the parties involved will agree to a settlement, they may no longer have to file a case against the taxi driver./elb