DUMANJUG Mayor Efren Gutrano “Gungun” Gica personally visited the office of the Highway Patrol Group Central Visayas (HPG 7) on Friday, July 24, 2026, to surrender his Tigers pin, a membership badge he received after completing the agency’s executive riders training course.
This came after a video went viral on social media showing him driving his new big bike while counterflowing along the National Highway in Barangay Pakigne, Minglanilla, where he collided with a tourist van making a U-turn on Sunday morning, July 19, 2026.
The mayor admitted that the incident was his mistake and said no one else should be blamed but himself.
He added that he decided to leave the group to prevent the incident from affecting the image of his fellow Tigers members who properly follow road safety practices, as well as the HPG personnel who oversee the organization.
“Kining nabuhat nako nga sayop pag counterflow, akoa ra gyud kining sayop. Dili apil ang organisasyon. Walay laing tawo apil niini, walay laing tawo nga nakasala niini kung dili ako ra gyud,” Gica said.
(What I did by counterflowing was my mistake. The organization is not involved. No one else is part of this incident. No one else committed any wrongdoing except me.)
Gica was accompanied by his fellow Tigers members when he went to the HPG office.
After meeting and speaking with HPG 7 Regional Chief Police Colonel Richard Gumboc, Gica said his request to leave the Tigers group was not accepted.
Because of this, he expressed gratitude for being given another chance to remain part of the organization.
Gica said he would turn his mistake into an advocacy by organizing fellow riders and helping educate them on safe motorcycle driving practices.
“I will make it a mission and advocacy. I will make it my advocacy to organize and to really help my fellow riders, not just members of Tigers but the riding community, to help them become safe road riders,” Gica said.
The mayor said he and the owner of the tourist van he collided with had already reached an agreement, with Gica taking responsibility for the repair costs.
He also showed that the damaged side mirror had already been repaired, including compensation for the tourist van’s lost daily income.
Gica also shared that he suffered pain on his right ribs after hitting the motorcycle handlebar, as well as neck pain after his helmet struck the body of the tourist van during the collision.
He also said he had already submitted a letter to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in response to the show cause order issued against him.
However, he said he would personally visit the LTO office to meet with its director. (AYB)
