TWO minors passed away after their motorcycle collided with a passenger bus along the national highway in Sitio Looc, Barangay Looc, Argao town, southern Cebu, on Tuesday morning, April 16, 2024.
The fatalities were identified as John Paul Pantojan Camarillo, 17, driver of the motorcycle, and his backrider Rica Rose delos Reyes Villagonzalo, 17, both from Argao.
They were rushed to the Isidro C. Kintanar Memorial Hospital in Barangay Bogo, Argao, where they were pronounced dead.
Police Corporal Mark Anthony Dicdican, the traffic police investigator of Argao Police Station, told SunStar Cebu that the victims were heading towards Dalaguete town at around 6:30 a.m., when they encroached on the opposite lane while navigating a curve in Sitio Looc and collided with an incoming Ceres bus driven by John Mark Sevilla Talam, 40, of Barangay Sibucao, San Enrique, Negros Occidental.
Talam stated he slowed down to 40 kph as he was preparing to curve when he saw a speeding motorcycle heading towards their direction and collided head-on with the bus.
He said he came from Bato, Santander to Cebu City with a full load of passengers when the incident occurred.
Rica's mother, Emily Villagonzalo, stated in an interview that Camarillo came to their home on Sunday night, April 15, to pick up her daughter, but she had no idea where they had gone until she found out that her daughter had been in an accident.
According to Emily, Rica's live-in partner in Dalaguete was reportedly unaware that she went out with Camarillo that evening, and the two were out with their young friends.
The bus driver, however, will be released from police detention after the victims’ relatives and the Ceres bus management agreed to settle the matter. (DVG, TPT)