This is the Yamaha Sniper motorcycle driven by the man, who died at past 12 a.m. today, August 27, at the Tabunok flyover in Talisay City. | CT-TODA photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Two motorcycle riders died in two separate road accidents in a span of more or less 12 hours on the afternoon of August 26 and in the early morning of August 27 in Cebu and Talisay cities.
At past 1 p.m. on August 26 at the North Reclamation Area in Cebu City, a six-wheeler Isuzu Forward truck hit a motorcycle as it swerved to avoid hitting a passenger jeepney, which suddenly stopped in front of the truck.
According to Police Staff Sergeant Bernadeth Tapilot, investigator of the Mabolo Police Station, in her report, identified the victim as Roberto Romarate Jr.
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How it happened
Initial investigation showed that both vehicles were on different lanes on the same side of the road, heading towards Mandaue City along S. Osmeña Road when the Forward Truck suddenly swerved to the left to avoid crashing into the jeepney in front of the truck which suddenly stopped.
The sudden swerve to the left encroached on the lane that the motorcycle was travelling on resulting to the motorcycle driven by Romarate to hit right side of the Forward Truck.
This in turn caused the motorcycle rider to lose control of the motorcycle, which resulted to the motorcycle crashing hard on the road.
Tapilot in her report said that the medical team of the responding ambulance assessed that the victim, Romarate, was already dead.
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Truck driver detained
She said that the driver of the truck, Jay Arenas, was detained at the Mabolo Police Station pending the filing of a case of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and damage to property.
As of this posting, the driver remained detained at the Mabolo Police Station.
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Talisay accident
At least 12 hours later or in the early morning of August 27, at past 12 a.m., another motorcycle rider died in a road accident in Talisay City.
According to Joy Tumulak, City of Talisay Traffic Operations and Development Authority (CTTODA) chief, that the rider, heading north, died after he was thrown off his motorcycle when he hit the side of a road gutter of the flyover in Barangay Tabunok.
Tumulak said that the impact threw the rider off his motorcycle and landing head first on the pavement.
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Dead rider’s identity still unconfirmed
He said that he still could not confirm the identity of the victim but they retrieved a driver’s license from him.
“Ang patay nga lawas sa biktima anaa sa Cebu South General Hospital,” said Tumulak, who encouraged those who believed that the man at the hospital was their relative to visit the hospital and check if the victim was their relative.
(The body of the dead victim is at the Cebu South General Hospital.)
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