A 19-year-old eatery worker was killed after she jumped off a moving habal-habal (motorcycle-for-hire) in Ginatilan town, Cebu last Tuesday noon.
Police said Maria Fe Banaban panicked when a bystander called out in jest that the driver of the motorcycle she was riding could not be trusted.
Banaban came from barangay Poblacion where she had her cellphone repaired. She was aboard a motorcycle driven by 49-year-old Pablito Sano on her way back to the eatery in barangay San Roque.
Police said that when the motorcycle passed by a group of habal-habal drivers, someone shouted, “Day, ayaw kumpiyansa anang draybera! (Miss, don’t trust that driver!)” It was then that the woman leaped.
The woman, a native of Tanjay, Negros Oriental, was brought to a hospital in Ginatilan. She was transferred to another hospital in Malabuyoc town where she was declared dead.
PO2 Catalino Ricablanca said police tried but failed to trace the driver who made the joke.
Police arrested Sano, who was charged with reckless imprudence resulting to homicide.