An engaged couple, John Mike Boyonas, 27, and Rose Ann Mae Hermoso, 25, died when their motorcycle struck a concrete electrical post in Barangay Busay, Cebu City, at 9:35 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026.
Closed-circuit television footage showed the motorcycle swerving to avoid an oncoming vehicle before the crash, and authorities are currently trying to trace that vehicle to determine if it made contact.
Hours later at 3 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, a Barangay Mabolo ambulance carrying a stabbing victim collided with a taxi at the corner of P. Del Rosario and Junquera streets, with both drivers providing conflicting accounts regarding the traffic lights and siren.
A COUPLE who were set to marry in September this year died in a motorcycle crash in Barangay Busay, Cebu City, hours before an ambulance carrying a stabbing victim collided with a taxi downtown.
The first crash happened along Cebu Tops Road near Skyline Garden Columbary at 9:35 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026.
Traffic Enforcement Unit investigators identified the fatalities as John Mike Boyonas, 27, of Pungtod Alaska, Barangay Mambaling, and his girlfriend, Rose Ann Mae Hermoso, 25, of Roosevelt, Barangay Busay.
Investigators said Boyonas was driving the motorcycle toward the Transcentral Highway when it veered off the road at a curved section and struck a concrete electrical post.
Dead on arrival
The impact threw Boyonas and Hermoso from the motorcycle. They were taken by the Busay Emergency Response Team to Perpetual Succour Hospital, where they were declared dead on arrival.
Closed circuit television footage showed the motorcycle swerving to avoid an oncoming vehicle before the crash. The other vehicle continued driving.
Authorities are trying to trace the other vehicle to determine whether it made contact with the motorcycle before the crash.
Boyonas had picked up Hermoso from her workplace at Tops and was supposed to take her home in Busay.
The couple had been together for about a year. Boyonas proposed to Hermoso in April, and they were scheduled to marry in September.
Collision in downtown area
Hours later, an ambulance carrying a stabbing victim collided with a taxi at the corner of P. Del Rosario and Junquera streets in Barangay Kamagayan shortly after 3 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19.
Neither driver was injured. The patient was transferred to another ambulance and taken to Cebu City Medical Center.
The Barangay Mabolo ambulance, driven by Rufino Jose Gilbero, 56, was traveling along P. Del Rosario St. after picking up the patient in Barangay Mabolo.
The taxi, driven by Jaime Du Jr., 56, was traveling along Junquera St. toward Colon St. Du said he was returning to the garage after his night shift.
Du said he had the green light and did not notice the ambulance because he did not hear its siren.
Conflicting accounts
Gilbero said he slowed down as he approached the intersection, but the taxi suddenly entered his path, leaving him little time to avoid the collision.
He maintained that the ambulance had its siren on because it was transporting a patient who needed medical attention.
“He suddenly entered the intersection while the other taxis had stopped. Our siren was very loud. Maybe he, the taxi driver, fell asleep,”
Gilbero said in Cebuano.
Both drivers were brought to the TEU for further investigation. / JDG