A woman died while her husband and child survived after the family’s motorcycle with an improvised sidecar fell of a cliff in Talisay City, Cebu, Thursday night, June 20. | CT-TODA photo via Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines – A family’s supposed visit to a ‘hilot’ ended in a tragedy after their motorcycle with an improvised sidecar, locally known as “tangkal-tangkal,” fell of a cliff in Sitio Kambawog, Brgy. Kampo 4 in Talisay City.
Residents in the area found the couple and their one-year-old son below the cliff at around 11 a.m. on Friday, June 21, or several hours after the accident was believed to have happened.
The woman, who was identified as Marilyn Sabal, was already dead when found while her husband, Jerome, and their son where brought to the Cebu South Medical Center for the treatment of their injuries.
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As of this writing, Jerome remains at the hospital due to the seriousness of his injuries while the toddler was already discharged and is now under the care of relatives.
It is yet to be determined when the accident actually happened. But authorities said that the “tangkal-tangkal” that the family used may have fallen off the cliff on Thursday night, when they reportedly left their home in Brgy. Quit Pardo in Cebu City to bring their child to a ‘hilot.’
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Authorities are yet to determine where the family was headed as they are yet to speak with Jerome.
Talisay accident
Residents learned of the accident that happened in the mountain barangay of Kampo 4 after they heard the toddler’s cry at around 11 a.m. on Friday.
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They found the child on the bushes below the cliff. His still unconscious father was lying near the river while Marilyn’s body was hanging on a tree branch, close to their “tangkal-tangkal.”
Jonathan Tumulak, head of City of Talisay Traffic Operations and Development Authority (CTTODA), told CDN Digital that Marilyn was already dead for at least 12 hours when found.
Tumulak said that the slippery road in the area may have caused the accident.
In addition, none of the victims where wearing a helmet when the accident happened.
The Sabal couple sold fruits and scrap materials for a living, Tumulak added.