The motorcycle driver was identified as Alexel Tantoy Galdo, 18 years old, resident of Upper Ichon.He is a senior freshman taking up Criminology at Saint Joseph College here. The victim sustained some bruises and injuries on his forehead, knees and other parts of the body. His left leg’s upper knee was fractured including his two wrist arms.

His neighbor backrider was identified as Joshua Reviera Gonzales, 18 years old, jobless, and a school dropout. He sustained slight bruises, but his skull has a crack as seem in an e-ray result by Dr. Elpidio Sibud,a orthopedic surgeon. He suffered from frequent headaches.

Dr. Sibud, the attending physician of the victims, recommended to Gonzales’ parents a CT scan for their son to determine the condition of his brain. He was brought by the provincial hospital’s ambulance to Tacloban City the following day and was confined there for observation

In an interview with Galdo, he said they’ve left Upper Ichon at about 4:00 p.m. a Thursday to visit some friends in brgy. San Joaquin, Macrohon, less than 20 kilometers away from their place. As they reached the bridge in brgy. Amparo, he said, a multicab-turn-fish car was evading a Revo car parked near the bridge’s entrance. The car was unloading some passengers who were about to enter the inner road towards brgy. Mabini. However, the multicab collided instead with his motorcycle in the bridge as they were driving in opposite direction, he said. The bridge has served as the marked boundary between the 2 barangays of Amparo and Mabini.

He said the multicab’s windshield was shattered from the impact of collision that hit his forehead, spraining his 2 arms and wounding some parts of his body. The multicab’s front was also deformed, he said, while his motorcycle has also suffered some damages. He claimed he do not know what happened next as he became unconscious. He regained his consciousness on the way before they’ve reached the provincial hospital..

He said he found later on that it was the helper of the fish car’s driver who brought him to the hospital for emergency treatment. He said the multicab’s driver has no injuries. While his helper who sat besides him has a cut on his face, which was treated at the hospital.

Ludy Tantoy Galdo, 42 years old, the victim’s mother disclosed that the fish car’s owner residing in brgy. Pugaling (Isagani) has provided some financial assistance for his son’s medications. He has also shouldered half of the cost of the expensive stainless steel needed as bone support during the operation.

She informed both of them have favored for an amicable settlement to settle their case as they’ve discussed it in front of the police investigator at the Macrohon police station.

As of press time, the victim with stretched left leg has continued taking his prescribed medications administered by the nurse on duty. He has already undergone a bone operation the other day by Dr. Sibud, his attending physician. (Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.)

The old woman who died thirty five minutes later at the provincial hospital after she was hit by the speeding motorcycle was identified as Leonora Ocha-Marte,78 years old, and a resident of Brgy. Mambajao here in this city.

The driver of the Ramstar motorcycle was identified as Allyn Soco Amo, 20 years old, married, and a resident of brgy.Panan-awan.

In an interview with SPO2 Donato Cervantes, Traffic Police Officer, he disclosed that the victim was crossing the national highway in going to their “inner” home when she was hit by a speeding motorcycle driven by the suspect.

Cervantes said the suspect came from Pan-awan and was to fetch his wife working at SLEMCOOP office in Brgy. Asuncion, less than half a kilometer away from where the victim was hit.

According to police investigation the victim was hit on her body but struck her head on the concrete pavement causing her head to bleed profusely. She was rushed to the provincial hospital by her relatives for emergency treatment. However, she died of brain hemorrhage 35 minutes later.

At the victim’s residence, younger daughter Joyce Marte-Padilla, 39 years old, married, and resident of brgy.Isagani, said in an interview that after her mother has expired she called a long distance to Mindanao. She said she instructed her nephew Rayjill Marte in brgy.Diplahan, Sibugay, Zamboanga City to tell his aunt, Joyce’s older sister, Marilyn Marte, 54, single that Nanay Leonora was hit by a motorcycle and died.

Ms.Padilla revealed that in just 35 minutes later after receiving the sad news from Rayjill, Marilyn, her older sister has also died, as frantically conveyed to her by Rayjill in a long distance call from Zamboanga City.

She intimated that her older sister Marilyn has a hypertension and that the sad incident might have affected her emotion very badly causing her blood pressure to rise. “Most probably, she could not accept what had happened to our mother”, she said.

A concerned citizen stressed that a son or daughter should have to relay a sad family incident to any member of the affected family in an indirect manner thru hints or implications, not on a direct statement of disclosure. “Mostly loved ones who have received a sad or bad news within a family from afar by a straightforward revelation has an adverse consequences to a kin who has hypertension or heart disease”, she said.

Nevertheless, she (Ms, Padilla) confided that they have done the direct approach of revealing the sad family news to some of their close kins here, but no-one was seriously affected by the demise of her mother. “Of all my mother’s children”, she confessed,”Manang Marilyn is the closest to our mother. They are so close that mother’s sudden death might have grieved her deeply”, she said.

The body of Marilyn placed in coffin was brought here from Zamboanga City 2 days after she passed away.. They were buried simultaneously at the Catholic cemetery in brgy.Mantahan six days after the incident.

A relative of the suspect further divulged that after the victim’s close kins have evaluated the condition of their widowed Septuagenarian mother being in her old age, they have decided to have an amicable settlement with the suspect’s family. The latter have agreed to pay the former the amount of P65,000.00 as damages. (Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)

The motorcycle driver, who is a personal driver of SP member Jason Calva for about 2 years now, was identified as Dennis Refuelo, 39 years old, married, resident of Brgy. Zone V, Sogod.The town is about 73 kilometers away from here.

The victim bumped the rare part of the GK car with so heavy an impact that his skull was severely broken causing his instantaneous death right after the collision. It was learned that the GK car was driven by one of the visitors from GK-Manila.

The backrider, the second victim was identified as Baltazar Cutanda, 22 years old, single, and has resided with SP Calva’s residence being his second cousin. In Maasin he found a job as a Security Guard at the Civil Service Commission located inside the Provincial Capitol site. He hails from sitio Sidlakan, Brgy.Saguise, Pres. Carlos Garcia, Bohol. The victim was rushed to the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center in Tacloban City for emergency treatment. But he died the following day at past 2:00p.m. He suffered from a massive cerebral concussion according to Dr. Roberto Lagumbay, also an SP member from District 2.

In an interview with Calva at the Maasin Funeral Home in Brgy. Abgao he disclosed that at past 9 p.m. they were playing card games. One hour earlier, the 2 victims had already consumed one Red Horse Grande. However, Dennis has requested Jason to buy for them 2 additional bottles of Beer Grande, which the latter had granted.

After consuming the 2 bottles of beer, Calva said, he entered his room at 10:00p.m. with a reminder to Dennis that they have to leave the following early morning for Hilongos, Leyte, where he would take a ship bound for Cebu City to attend the scheduled “One Visayas Forum” sponsored by Godwen Garcia.

To his surprise, he said, he was somewhat shock to hear a message about 30 minutes later that Dennis bumped a crossing car and died on the spot, while Baltazar was seriously injured and in critical condition. Because of the unexpected incident he did not proceed to Cebu, he said.

Moises Calva, Jr. Jason’s youngest brother, also revealed that before they left the house in Canturing, he urged Dennis and Baltazar to backride with him. However, Dennis instead, straddled on another parked motorcycle nearby and started the engine. Baltazar who was already in a backride position in Moises’ motorcycle also got off and rode with Dennis.

They left Canturing and drove towards the proper city to buy hamburger as they were hungry after drinking liquors. Moises followed them. Jason’ brother also intimated he noticed that Dennis was driving unusually in high speed, which he did not do in his past driving stints with his older brother. When they reached pilot school in Brgy.Mantahan, he said, Dennis had slowed down and he swerved on the sideway admonishing him to slow down his speed. Nevertheless, Dennis and Baltazar did not even glanced at him, he said, and seemed not to mind what he was saying and just looked straight and speed up until they’ve reached Brgy. Abgao where they’ve met a fatal accident. There was unofficial report that GK has provided financial assistance of P50,000 each for the 2 victims in the name of Christian compassion and generosity.

Dennis bumped the rare part of GK’s service car as it crossed at the upper road. “Nakatabok na ang GK service car sa pikas kalsada apan naabtan pa gyud and lubot sa sakyanan“, Jason said in Cebuano. (The GK service car has already crossed on the other side of the road but Dennis had still hit the rare.).

Jason said that the car’s yellowish paint would make Dennis see clearly at a distance the crossing car but he became oblivious to slow down his speed and bumped it.

Calva further confided that if only the 2 victims did not suffer from fatal injuries he could have asked his driver why he speeded so fast and what did he saw from afar that prompted him to do so.

He also said that he considered something mysterious to the sudden death of the 2 victims since his driver used to drive slowly and had never had meet any vehicular accident in the past.

Nonetheless, other people have the belief that the driver’s drinking of the 2 kinds of liquors, which are a bad combination to intoxicate more a drinker, has triggered a powerful influence to his intoxicated psyche to drive fast as commonly done by drunken drivers without thinking of the risk and the danger that he might encounter on the way.

Refuelo was brought to his family in Sogod while Cutanda’s father accompanied by some relatives brought his son’s remains aboard a motorized boat to Pres.Carlos Garcia together with SP Calva. (Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.)

If you are wearing a rubber or plastic sandal that?s also wet, it is likely that you are subject to a slippage especially if you walk hurriedly as if you?re pacing on a rough edge floor. In some occasions also, even if you?re cautious with your steps on slippery tiles, there?s a possibility that you?ll slide, outbalancing yourself hitting the tiles flooring. Lucky enough if you don?t injure your body seriously.

In good weather condition I have been observing as anybody do, that shiny or glossy tiles are good as decorative flooring in many residential, commercial and business establishments. But if the weather is bad and these tiles are getting wet, it becomes dangerous to walk or step onto.

I myself is not a stranger to an accidental slides. I was a victim to this wild lurk. Last year I have an involuntary slide at the public market and near an artesian well in my place. Firstly, I was walking under rains wearing a used rubber sandal. As I walked forward, my left foot stepped at a slippery concrete edge. Right there outbalancing myself and my buttock hit on the concrete flooring. It was so painful!. But I took control of it. Instead of screaming out, I crunched my teeth, and at the same time I massaged my painful hip. Every evening I massaged it with oil. I did it regularly for several nights and the pain had gradually disappeared.

The second was when I went to Brgy. Tagnipa where I fetched water for drinking, bringing with me 2 empty wine bottles now turn into as water depository. This potable artesian well is far from my place, but I prefer it for my drinking because of its clearness in quality and appearance. The artesian well near the place where I?ve lived remain unrepaired after it got damaged from constant use.

How did I meet that accidental slide? After a middle aged woman had pumped the well for washing clothes, I paced forward along the concrete pavement unmindful of the presence of sparse green algae sticking to it.

And all of the sudden I skidded! My head almost hit the concrete floor were it not for my elbow that I instinctively braced to protect it. It pained and swell into redness!. My hip was also painful and I sustained some bruises on my arms and legs. But at least I have done something to save myself from serious injuries. To prevent further swelling of my painful elbow, I massaged it for several days with?miraculous oil? I bought at the public market. By regular massaging, the painful swell gradually subsided. The painful sensation I have felt every time I touched my elbow had disappeared.

Other Victims

(1) A former 20-year Governor of Southern Leyte, the late Salvacion Oppus Y?iguez, a soprano singer …

In her younger years and a UST music teacher, was also a victim of accidental slide while she was inside their bathroom. I?ve learned this upon my inquiry why she was always on a wheelchair during the duration of her twilight years. Like most well-known personalities however, she doesn?t emotionally show her frustration or depression on what had happened to her to the people whom she met and talked to. She was the beloved mother of Southern Leyte province?s former third termer Governor Rosette Y?iguez-Lerias.

(2) The wife of my mother?s first cousin in her 70s had also become a victim of accidental slide inside her residence. Her left side ball-joint was seen in x-ray results to have fractured which necessitate for a stainless replacement. How did she slide? She said she was just walking in sandal and suddenly slid and forcing herself to abruptly sat on the floor. It was so painful, she said, that she could no longer walk normally. Luckily her daughter in Cebu had a good job. She was brought there where she undergone an operation that took hours to finish..

Although she could walk now, her inborn normalcy to walk without a support is no longer possible. She said she always feels the pain of the surgery particularly during cold weather. Of course she is taking vitamins and nonfat milk to strengthen her bones courtesy of her kind and thoughtful daughter. Nevertheless, if the recurring pain would be tolerable for her to bear, she stops taking any pain reliever. Every time she wanted to visit her son or a relative in the vicinity and even inside the house, she walked with a stainless walker.

(3) Just recently a foreigner who got drunk from a drinking binge with a Filipino friend in a restaurant had accidentally skidded on a slippery tiles while he went to the nearby CR. Akin to my sliding experiences, he outbalanced himself and hit his head on the tiles now turned slippery after a heavy rain. Blood oozed out from his head as he remained laying. His drinking buddy who was informed of his friend?s accidental slide was shock and had a mixed feeling.

He was angry and at the same time felt sad about such an unexpected incident. He stooped down, embraced him and calling his name, but no response! His angry surmounted and cried loudly, somewhat blaming himself for what had happened.

Nonetheless, no person around is to be blamed. It?s his own act of the risk. His drunkenness had triggered something worst to the condition of the slippery tiles. If a non-intoxicating person can be a potential victim of accidental slides, how much more for a drunken man!.

That sliding victim foreigner was whisked off by some of the restaurant?s employees to the provincial hospital on board a pick-up truck. His Filipino friend followed suit. A nurse on-duty at the emergency room told the following day that the slide victim was discharged after his head wound was treated.

The gaping wound she said was closed by several stitches. And that he was conscious inside the emergency room during the treatment.

Colorful Tiles

Employees of government and private offices whose floorings are attractive because of shiny, glossy and colorful decorative tiles should be careful on their steps in going in and coming out of their respective offices.

This is particularly in a situation during rainy days when shoes and sandals are always drenched with rainwater.

The management of a well-known fastfood establishment here had also realized the potential danger lurking on its decorative black-colored tiles at the entrance gate. Two female customers had skidded in two separate occasions during rainy days. The first one who was about to enter the main door, while the second after taking her meal and had went out. But none of the two victims had suffered serious injuries. Only bearable pain. That accident has served as a warning to the owner. The front tiles flooring was dug out and replaced it with a concrete rough flooring devoid of slippery even on rainy days. How many victims are there already with this kind of accidental, but very dangerous slides?

With this kind of dreadfully unexpected incidents happening to some people including me, it would be wise to suggest for the safety of commuters and customers that food establishments, stores, commercial buildings and all offices nationwide should have its flooring at the main entrance made of rough concrete pavements.

Even how worst is the weather maybe, concrete rough floorings will retain its roughness despite heavy rains. Thus protecting and preventing the patrons/customers/clients from accidental slides that may cause fatality or untimely death to someone. It would be good also to place skid-proof mats to all CRs in all kinds of buildings, including residentials.Remember, prevention is better than cure.

The roughness of appearance of the front ground flooring of any building or its main entrance should not bother its owner because it is negligibly insignificant compared to the overwhelming attraction of beauty achieve by the decorative multicolor paints of the whole edifice both inside and outside.

And the main reason why customers are attracted to patronize a restaurant, bakery or store and have the enthusiasm to go there uninvited is because of the kind of accommodating services they?ve received, good food being served, inside cleanliness and generous treatment from waiters/waitresses, salesgirls and salesclerks. (Eugenio A. Siervo)

The 2 injured workers were identified as Venson De Los Pobres Malbas, 27 years old, married, and a resident of Brgy. Basak, Rizal, Maasin; Arturo Valencia Magallanes, welder, 36 years old, married, and resident of Brgy, San Jose, Maasin.

Malbas said that they left Maasin for Pintuyan where they have to do road concreting contracted by their employer Engr. Alberto Barola, owner of the Our Lady of Assumption Enterprises located in Brgy. Tuburan. He disclosed the dump truck was running in high speed to catch up with the time because Pintuyan, a town in Panaon Island, is very far from Maasin.

He informed that when they have reached Brgy. Nahaong, Libagon the front tire at the right side burst and the dump truck turned turtle burying him and Magallanes under the heavy file of sacks of cement. He said that the dump truck was loaded with 50 sacks of cement, an electric generator, sacks of rice and some of their provisions for their daily consumption while they were working there.

He said his companion immediately called their employer on a cellphone informing him about the accident. He said their boss then rushed to the scene together with another dump truck and they were whisked off to Sogod District hospital for emergency treatment. However, due to lack of facilities of the said hospital, they were instructed to proceed to the Salvacion Oppus Y?iguez Memorial Provincial Hospital (SOYMPH).

Aside Malbas, Magallanes was also confined except for their 8 co-workers who only sustained slight bruises and contusions. After they were treated, they were ordered to go home. Magallanes divulged that 4 of their companions seating with them at the back, were thrown away thus escaping serious injuries. The dump truck?s driver and the 3 other workers seating in the front were not injured.

Malbas suffered fractured right leg and a wound on his upper right arm. Both of his eyes and some part of his face were slightly reddish as his head was hit by sacks of cement. His fractured right leg was operated on by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Elpidio Sibud.

Magallanes sustained a swollen right foot and a swollen right hand. His right thumb was fractured and a wound on his forehead. Like Malbas, he will be operated on by the doctor to connect the fractured bone. They will be confined at the hospital for several days. (Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.)

The victim was identified as Noel B. Tan, 33 years old, single, resident of Brgy. Laray, Macrohon, Southern Leyte. In an interview at the provincial hospital, he disclosed that he and his friend known only as Cherry Boy were having some liquor drinks in Brgy. Laboon, Maasin City, about 15 kilometers away from the city. He said he was only slightly drunk and not heavily drunk because they have limited their order to a manageable level.

At about 10:00 PM, he said, he brought his friend to his residence in Brgy. Batuan, more than 10 kilometers away from Maasin, passing the ?Tulay ng Pangulo?? in Brgy. Canturing. On his way back to the city, bound for home, he narrated, he decided to pass on the same bridge for a shorter route to save travel time.

As he passed the bridge, he said, he suddenly skidded and has forgotten what happened next. When he regained his consciousness at dawn, he continued, he was already at the hospital. The victim claimed several firemen who happened to pass by in Canturing bridge were the ones who brought him to the hospital.

Tan sustained some injuries. A big wound has nearly hit his right eye now looked partly red and some bruises below his face. His head however, with a slight injury was spared from brain damaged. His right hand had swollen, but no fractured bone.. His right ear was cut and has entailed five stitches.

Many Victims

The bridge has reportedly victimized many motorcycle drivers including multicabs since it was opened to the riding public about 2 years ago. It was claimed that the victims were either drunks or teetotalers who were not familiar with the bridge?s condition and were running in high speed. “Everytime the bridge becomes slippery caused either by rain or moisture formations on the bridge steel floorings“, a concerned citizen said, ?it is not selective whom to victimize, particularly if the driver is reckless and careless and is unfamiliar with the true condition of the bridge?.

Police Traffic Officer Donato Cervantes revealed that there were only 4 reported incidents of slides in Canturing Bridge to his office. He explained that those unreported accidents of slides might have no licenses to drive so that they refrain from reporting it.

?If in some places of the country the ‘Tulay ng Pangulo’ projects have the same kind of steel flooring materials, then there?s a great possibility that there were already numerous victims of slides in other provinces as well?, said another source.

A motorist who is familiar with the bridge?s true condition said that the warning sign ?Bridge Slippery When Wet? must be placed 25 meters away from it and not very near the bridge. ?Putting the warning sign very near to the bridge would not make any driver aware of its true condition. Because applying a break on a speeding vehicle at the very entrance of the bridge would surely victimize the driver for a sudden slide that may injure him/her seriously or break his/her bones?, he said.

The motorist who does not want to be named also informed that the Canturing Bridge would still become slippery even without rain. ?The natural coolness of the area during the night and on cold weather condition is a contributory factor that?s responsible in the moisture formations on the bridge?s steel flooring which causes the slippery of the bridge?.

He advised all the drivers of all vehicles in the city and those in neighboring towns who want to pass by the Canturing bridge to be very careful with their speed and must start slowing down at 25 meters away from it to avoid the abrupt slide upon passing on it, most particularly on rainy days and during the night and early mornings.

Moreover, majority of concerned citizens here have also suggested that the materials used in the Canturing bridge and other ?Tulay ng Pangulo? projects in the country with steel plates floorings be replaced with rough concrete floorings to eradicate, if not to avoid untimely deaths or serious injuries among the victims of unexpected slides. (Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)

The victims were identified as Richard K. Espenido, 24 years old, resident of Brgy. Sto. Rosario, Padre Burgos, the driver; Edna Aure-Espenido, 40 years old, also resident of? Sto.Rosario, Padre Burgos, the driver?s wife; and Randy L. Bacolod, 23 years old, resident of Brgy. Bunga, Padre Burgos. The other passenger, Rolando Mausisa, 36 years old, also a resident of Sto.Rosario, Padre Burgos is unhurt.

Espenido sustained a fractured left leg. His wife Edna sustained a forehead injury with 20 stitches.. While 3 layers of Bacolod?s spinal bones were dislocated as shown by his x-ray results. His back head was also swollen. Attending physician Dr. Elpidio Sibud placed a cervical collar on the victim?s neck. The duration of placement or wearing of the cervical collar, it was learned, would depend on the patient?s progress or his response to the therapeutic measure.

In an interview with the driver at the Salvacion Oppus-Y?iguez Memorial Provincial Hospital (SOYMPH) on October 15, 2008, he intimated that the time was past 9:00 a.m. and the road looked straight as he drove along Macrohon area going to Maasin. He claimed he was only aware of the real condition of the road in Brgy. Molopolo when he bumped the multicab on a tree on the right portion of the national highway. The impact was strongly forceful, he said, that the three of them were seriously injured. “Guilamat ako niadtong higayona“, he said in Cebuano. “Ang akong pagtan-aw sa kaldasa tul-id man.Diha na ako nakamatngon nga kurbada diay sa dihang nabangga na ang multicab sa kahoy.” (I was hallucinated in that particular instance?)

Some drivers in Macrohon and in Maasin have similar complains with that of the new victim in that particular curve road in Brgy. Molopolo, that those past injured victims were experiencing hallucinations. ?Drivers of all kinds of vehicles should be cautiously watchful when negotiating in that particular curve road in Brgy. Molopolo?, a motorcycle driver warns.

The injured driver will undergo bone operation by the aforesaid orthopedic surgeon. He said he needs a stainless steel as supportive brace to connect his fractured leg. (Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.)

The victim was identified as SPO1 Jesus Jayvee S. Tan, 38 years old, resident of Brgy. Laboon. He was rushed to the provincial hospital for treatment by the responding police team.

His wife, an elementary school teacher, who deeply grieved by the sudden death of her husband refused to be interviewed regarding the circumstances leading to the incident.

Tan, like his father, is a tennis player even before he became a policeman. He has continued to play tennis most of the time after his duties or when on leave. A co-player said that they were having a drinking spree at the Maasin Tennis Club before he (the victim) decided to go to Barangay Ibarra to visit his father who is sick. Another reason in going there is to check if his 2 children were already in Barangay Ibarra. A source said that it is always a routine for him during school days to fetch his children at the school after their classes.

It was believed that at the time he was going out and drove towards the downtown of Maasin City, he was to fetch his children at the school. However, no relative of the victim can confirm to this claim, much more his grieving wife, who was inwardly sobbing in sorrow and don?t want to talk about the topic. Besides, it was already past 10:00 p.m. when the accident happened on October 3, 2008.

During the accident a witness claimed that the victim, by the impact of the speeding motorcycle and abrupt swerve, was thrown away and turned turtle several times, then plunged into a coma right after the incident. Due to his serious injuries and critical condition he was referred to the Bethany hospital in Tacloban City, 180 kilometers away from Maasin City.

X-ray results showed that he sustained 4 broken ribs. His head was also swollen, which is the reason why the attending physician could not operated on him, said a senior policeman. A huge hematoma appeared on the right portion of his ribs. When the doctor decided to incise it, our source said, a huge amount of blood oozed out filling a gallon.

Our reliable source further said that he believed the broken ribs have injured some of the victim?s vital organs causing an internal hemorrhage. The accident occurred during the recent evening before 11:00 p.m.and died the following day at 1:30p.m. (Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.)