Minglanilla: Man who didn’t use pedestrian lane gets hit by bus, dies

This is a screen grab of a video during the accident where a man was hit by a Ceres Bus and died in the hospital later on September 24. | Screen grab from Lipata CCTV via Paul Lauro

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A 50-year-old man, who crossed the street a few meters away from the pedestrian lane, died after he was bumped by a Ceres Bus at past  7 p.m. on Sunday, September 24, along the national highway in Barangay Linao-Lipata, Minglanilla town in southern Cebu.

Police Major Kalvin Jomari Golitod, acting Minglanilla Police Station, in his report identified the victim as Rey Espina of Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City.

Golitod said that Espina was rushed to the hospital and died at past 11 p.m. that day.

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Minglanilla police probe accident

Initial investigation showed that at around 7:30 p.m., Espina did not use the pedestrian lane in crossing the street. Instead, he walked a few meters away from the pedestrian lane and started to cross there.

At that point, a Ceres Bus, driven by 31-year-old Marlito Lebar, was cruising along the slow lane, when he allegedly saw the victim starting to cross the street.

According to the report of Major Golitod, the bus driver instead of stopping to let the victim cross the street, instead turned his lights to high as a signal to the man that the bus was passing by.

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Man did not heed bus’s signal

Espina did not heed the bus’s warning when it placed its lights on high, and instead continued to cross the street.

The driver, Lebar, also did not stop the bus.

This resulted to the bus hitting or bumping the victim, Espina.

The impact of the bus when Espina was bumped, threw him a few feet in the air, and he landed hard on the asphalted road.

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Victim injured, died in hospital

He was injured and was rushed to the Minglanilla District Hospital for treatment by Minglanilla Emergency responders.

Unfortunately, doctors at the hospital at past 11 p.m declared the victim dead.

Golitod said that the bus driver, Lepar of Barangay Calangcang, Badian town in southern Cebu, was detained at the Minglanilla Police Station detention cell.

The police chief said that he would be facing a case of Reckless Imprudence Resulting to Homicide.