Cebu reporter dies in road mishap

JOURNALISTS in Cebu mourn the loss of a colleague who died in a road accident in San Jose, Negros Oriental on Sunday, March 12, 2023.

Pegeen Maisie Sararaña, of Carcar City and a reporter for CDN Digital, was in Negros Oriental to cover the Pamplona massacre that killed Gov. Roel Degamo and eight others when she figured in the accident.

Police said she was on board a motorcycle with her boyfriend, Niel Ian Mascardo Balcobero, when they were hit by an Elf truck while waiting for their turn to cross the road at around 3:10 p.m. Sunday.

Police said the Elf truck went past another truck and hit the motorcycle that was waiting on the side of the road.

Sararaña sustained injuries to her head and other parts of her body. She was rushed to a hospital but died Monday night, March 13.

The driver of the truck identified as Nielric Tano Gaso, 27, is currently detained at the Amlan Police Station.

CDN Digital offered prayers Tuesday, March 14, for Sararaña and her family.

In a Facebook post, Sararaña’s family announced the journalist’s passing.

“Rest easy ate Pem. Guide us always. I love you,” said her sister, Claire Sararaña Lauglaug, in a Facebook post.

Arnold Bustamante, president of the Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists (CFBJ), said members of the Defense PNP Press Corps and CFBJ were shocked to learn of Sararaña’s death.

Sararaña, 24, was the youngest Cebu reporter in the police beat.

Bustamante recounted that he was with her and other members of the media when they traveled to Negros Oriental from Cebu to cover updates on Degamo’s killing.

“We will miss your sweetness and how soft-spoken you were. Even though your news source irritated you, you never raised your voice. I was shocked to learn of the accident and we were very worried,” said Bustamante in Cebuano in a Facebook post Tuesday.