Truck driver hits partner a day before Valentine’s

A DAY before Valentine’s Day, Rolito Gesabal drove a dump truck and accidentally ran over his live-in partner of 20 years. The wheels crushed her head.

The incident happened in Purok Judas Belt, Barangay Babag Dos, Lapu-Lapu City at 3 a.m. yesterday.

Gesabal, 49, was driving an Isuzu dump truck (KDN-573) toward the exit of a construction site when he noticed the rear wheels hit something.

He and his co-worker got off and saw Lodivina Ebaoc, 57, under the truck, her head smashed.

Gesabal was detained at the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office, but he will be released today after Ebaoc’s relatives decided not to file a complaint against him.

In an affidavit submitted to the police, Gesabal said he was going to drive to Barangay Talamban, Cebu City to load some rocks.

He admitted he was still sleepy, having woken up around 2:30 a.m. It was still dark and he didn’t see his live-in partner while he was driving.

Gesabal turned himself over to the police at 9 a.m. A truck boy, the only witness, executed an affidavit supporting Gesabal’s claims.

In an interview, Gesabal said he and Ebaoc had an argument the night before. “Ginagmay ra gud nga lalis (It was just a simple argument),” he said.

During their argument, she said she wanted to be run over by a vehicle, Gesabal said. But he said he could not tell whether Ebaoc committed suicide. “Disgrasya ra gyud to (It was an accident),” he said.

Gesabal and Ebaoc had no children together. They moved from Bukidnon province to Lapu-Lapu City four months ago.

They lived in a bunkhouse inside the construction site. Gesabal worked as a truck driver, while she cooked for the laborers.

In an interview over radio dyAB, Melissa Alimpolos, Ebaoc’s daughter in Bukidnon, said her family will not file a complaint against Gesabal, whom they expect to bring Ebaoc’s remains to the province.

“Ang importante muabot ang lawas sa among mama diri (What’s important is for my mother’s remains to be brought here),” she said, adding they need financial help to bring home her mother’s remains.

At the detention cell, Gesabal said it is hard for him to accept his live-in-partner’s death. “Pero unsaon ta man (But what can I do)?” he said.