Pegeen Sararaña, a budding journo from Cebu, 24

Pegeen Maisie Sararaña

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Members of Cebu’s media are grieving the loss of a budding journalist.

Pegeen Maisie Sararaña, a reporter for CDN Digital, passed away last Monday evening, March 13, 2023.  She was 24.

Pegeen succumbed to head injuries that she sustained after the motorcycle that she rode figured in a tragic road accident in San Jose town in Negros Oriental at about 3:10 p.m. on Sunday, March 12.

The motorcycle that Pegeen and her boyfriend, Niel Ian Balcobero, boarded was stationary.  They were waiting to make a left turn at Crossing Siapo in Barangay Tampi in San Jose, when an ELF truck overtook a long-bed truck that was behind their motorcycle.

The overtaking ELF truck hit the motorcycle and dragged it at least 35 feet away, according to Police Executive Master Sergeant (PEMS) Oliver Rosario of the San Jose Police Station.

Skid marks can be seen on the road to show how far the elf truck dragged the motorcycle that Pegeen and her companion boarded. | Photo from San Jose Police Station

Pegeen was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Negros Polymedic Hospital in Sibulan town.

Balcobero also remained admitted to the hospital as of Monday night for the treatment of his injuries.

The ELF truck’s driver, identified as Nielric Tano Gaso, a 27-year-old resident of Barangay Silab, Amlan, was briefly detained at the San Jose Police Station.

Rosario said Gaso was released from detention at 9 a.m. on Monday, March 13, following the lapse of the 18-hour reglementary period for his detention.

The police investigator said that since the family had yet to file a formal complaint against the suspect, they were left with no other choice but to release the driver.

Damage can be seen in the front portion of the truck that hit the back of Pegeen’s head. | CDN Digital photo

Rosario said that Gaso was not also subjected to drug and liquor test prior to his release citing the lack of a municipal ordinance that would require the conduct of such on individuals who are arrested for reckless driving.

But he gave that assurance that they could easily call for Gaso to present himself at the police station should there be a need for him to meet with Pegeen’s family.

Pegeen’s father and sister arrived in Negros at about 10 p.m. on Sunday and rushed to the hospital to attend to her needs.  Gaso was no longer around when her father visited the police station shortly before noontime on Monday.

The motorcycle that Pegeen and her boyfriend were riding. | CDN Digital

Pegeen began her career as a journalist in Cebu in 2020. Since then, she had been covering crime beats not only in the island province but also in Central Visayas.

She was in Negros Oriental as part of her assignment to document the Pamplona Massacre that claimed the lives of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and eight others.

CDN Digital joins the family, friends and the entire journalism community in mourning the loss of Pegeen.

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