Wednesday, January 10, 2007 2 motorcyle-riding cops fall, injured By Aledel G. Cuizon Sun.Star Staff Reporter
TWO motorcycle riders who were part of the security convoy headed for the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) accidentally fell in Mandaue City during the dry run yesterday morning.
Fortunately for PO1 Arcadio Buol and PO1 Teddy Flaga, the incident happened in front of the Mandaue City Hospital, where they were immediately given medical attention.
Buol fell on his right side when Flaga, who was in front of him, also lost control of his motorcycle.
Flaga said he was having difficulty with his motorcycle when he tried to ask civilian motorists to stay at the side of the road as the convoy was passing.
He said that a civilian on board another motorcycle refused to budge and even traveled alongside the convoy.
Flaga tried to avoid the civilian motorcycle but fell instead.
Flaga suffered minor bruises but Buol’s right arm had to be put in a sling as he was being attended to at the emergency room.
Tedman deputy executive director Damian Enriquo Ouano said yesterday that one of the policemen who met an accident reportedly appealed for the removal of the concrete barriers.
Ouano, however, said the barriers were placed there for security purposes.
Although these could be replaced with the plastic ones, he will just wait for instructions from the security committee.
A motorcycle driver himself, Ouano added that the place where the accident happened is a little tricky because there is a small layer of fine sand and the road has a sharp curve.
He said the sand fell from trucks that carry the material and travel along Plaridel St. to and from the reclamation area. Ouano admitted that a little miscommunication happened yesterday since the warning that a convoy was approaching came too soon.
Because of this, Ouano is deploying an enforcer at the Marcelo Fernan Bridge to inform all enforcers along the ceremonial route if a convoy is coming.
That way, there will be a lot of time for enforcers to secure the road and ensure that there are no obstructions, since the vehicles in the convoy travel very fast.
Traffic jams
Traffic in Mandaue City was bearable by afternoon.
Ouano said that in the morning, the traffic jams were on M.C. Briones Highway, A.S. Fortuna St., A.C. Cortes Ave. and the reclamation area.
Barangay Looc also had its share of the traffic jam because vehicles to and from Lapu-Lapu City were rerouted there.
A vehicular accident at a gasoline station in front of the San Miguel Complex also contributed to the slow movement of traffic along A. del. Rosario St.
For its part, the Mandaue City Government is making additional preparations for the summit.
A fence was put up to cover a vacant lot along Ouano Ave., while additional landscaping was done along the ceremonial route.
Mandaue City First Lady Linda Ouano told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday that she is spending P30,000 of her personal funds for the enhancement of Ouano Ave., the last main thoroughfare before arriving at the CICC.
Cut flowers are now used to enhance the sculptures placed on the island along Ouano Ave.
She added that she had no choice but to spend her own money because the private companies she earlier approached for help already did their part.
