THREE female social welfare employees of Tudela town, Camotes Islands, Cebu died after the motorcycle that they were riding in crashed into a lamppost at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 16, 2023, in barangay Santander of the said municipality.
The fatalities, who were both employees of Kalahi-Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (Kalahi-MSWDO), were identified as Gemarie Arguedo Gilbuena, married; Maricris Magallanes Diocampo, single; and Anna Vie Yesca Villar, single.
Both victims were of legal age and were from Tudela.
They were brought to Camotes District Hospital in San Francisco town but were declared dead on arrival.
Senior Master Sergeant Glen Abapo, investigator of Tudela Police Station, told SunStar Cebu that the victims were riding Honda Wave motorcycle driven by Gilbuena.
According to some witnesses, Gilbuena was running at high speed when she lost control of the motorcycle while navigating a downhill curve and slammed into a lamppost.
The victims sustained severe injuries in the heads and bodies due to the strong impact.
The motorcycle was also in total wreck.
"Nagdali daw ni sila aron makapanso sa ilang pag-uli sa trabaho! Pero kusog nga nagdulhog wala na mokupot ang brake naratol ang driver nabangga sa lamp post sa barangay," Abapo said.
(They were reportedly in a hurry to punch out from work! But the driver was speeding downhill and the brake failed to hold, causing her to panic and crash into a lamp post in the barangay).
Abapo stated that the victim was familiar with the route.
However, the brake failure was what caused the accident, he added.
The victims came from one of the barangays of the municipality where a road was being constructed. (GPL, TPT)