Ginatilan accident: Hubby dead, wife injured after truck rear-ends motorcycle

A 44-year-old man died while his 45-year-old wife is in critical condition after they were hit by the delivery truck tailing them while their motorcycle in Barangay Palanas, Ginatilan town in southern Cebu at past 10 a.m. on Monday, November 1. | Photo courtesy of Mommy Kena Tekling

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A 44-year-old man died while his 45-year-old wife suffered serious injuries after the motorcycle they were riding on was hit by a delivery truck from behind in Barangay Palanas, Ginatilan town in southern Cebu at past 10 a.m. today, November 1.

Felix Gorrero of Sitio Adding, Barangay Palanas, was rushed to the hospital in neighboring Malabuyoc town but the attending physician declared him dead on arrival, said Police Staff Sergeant Clark Gabato of the Ginatilan Police Station.

The victim’s wife, Jocelyn Gorrero was reportedly in critical condition and was transferred from the Malabuyoc hospital to one in Cebu City, said Gabato.

He said that the couple suffered head injuries which could have led to Felix’s death and the serious condition of Jocelyn.

When asked if the couple were wearing helmets, Gabato said he could not give an answer on this because that was not in the police report, but he could only say that the couple suffered head injuries in the accident, when they were thrown off the motorcycle and landed hard on the paved road.

Kennard Merida, 34, of Barangay Looc, Malabuyoc town, the driver of the delivery truck, was detained at the Ginatilan Police Station detention cell pending the filing of charges.

Initial investigation showed that the couple were on their way home from the public market in Barangay Poblacion when the accident happened at 10:55 a.m.

Merida told police that he was tailing the motorcycle of the couple on his way to Samboan to delivery beer there, when the motorcycle suddenly stopped in the middle of the road in Sitio Adding, Barangay Palanas to make a left turn to another road.

Merida said he tried to steer the truck away from the motorcycle but it was too late and the truck rear-ended the motorcycle, which sent the couple flying off the motorcycle, and landing hard on the paved road.

“Gasunod ni sila, gauna ang motor, pag abot atong lugar ngadto, nikalit og hunong ang motor sa atubangan sa de karga unya nikalit og liko. Unya paglihay sa de karga, naabtan gyud sila kay ang de karga puno man og mga beer, wala na niya nacontrol, naigo gyud,” Gabato said.

(The truck was following behind the motorcycle, when they reached the area there, the motorcycle suddenly stopped in front of the truck and tried to make a left turn. And the truck driver tried to swerve to the right to prevent it from rear-ending the motorcycle, but it was too late. The driver could not control the truck which was full of beer.)

“Naay kalasada sa left padung sa ilang balay sa Sitio Adding sa Barangay Palanas,” Gabato said on why the couple stopped to make a left turn in the area.

(There is a road on the left leading to their house in Sitio Adding in Barangay Palanas.)

Gabato said that both drivers were not really driving at high speed but the truck was full of beer so it was difficult for the driver, who was tailing the motorcycle, to veer away from the couple on the motorcycle when it suddenly stopped in front of the truck.

As of this posting, Gabato said that they were still waiting for the relatives of the victims if they would settle amicably with the truck driver or file a formal complaint against him.

Gabato said that they would detain Merido pending on the decision of the victims’ relatives.

READ: One killed, two injured in Malabuyoc motorcycle collision