A 27-year-old woman died after their motorcycle was hit by a dump truck along MC Briones Street, Barangay Tabok, Mandaue City on Tuesday morning, May 2, 2023.
The victim was identified as Jo-ann Madelo, who was riding a motorcycle driven by his live-in partner Anjun Gulfan, 23, of Barangay Pusok, Lapu-Lapu City.
The driver of the dump truck was identified as Ramelito Baculi, who hails from Barangay Cantao-an, Naga City, southern Cebu.
According to Staff Sergeant Jimson Dapar, traffic investigator of Basak Police Station, the live-in couple and Baculi were both headed toward Cebu City.
The dump truck was in the inner lane, while the motorcycle was on the outer lane, when it overtook another vehicle and hit the motorcycle instead.
“Nag-tapad man mi sa dump truck ako naa sa daplin nya siya sa wala, murag ni over overtake siya sa wigo mao tong punta ang iyang atubangan sa akong abaga, ang iyang overtake padung man sa daplin,” Gulfan said.
(We were next to the dump truck, and I was on the side. The dump truck was on the left, and it appeared to be overtaking the Wigo since its bumper was going towards my shoulder).
The couple flew off the motorcycle due to the impact.
Madelo suffered serious injury after hitting her head on the pavement.
She was rushed to the Mandaue District Hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival by attending physician.
Patricio Madelo, father of Jo-ann, said they would not pursue a case against the truck driver after the latter promised to shoulder the burial expenses of the victim, who will be brought to Dumanjug town for her wake and burial.
It was learned that the live-in couple had just returned from a long weekend getaway in the northern Cebu town of Daanbantayan and was on their way back to Lapu-Lapu City for work.
A sack of bananas was loaded into their motorcycle.
During police inquiry, Baculi said he did not notice that he hit somebody.
Baculi came from Borbon town to deliver an asphalt there.
He said he just learned about the incident when a motorcycle rider who was pursuing him informed him about the collision.
He claimed that his vehicle did not even suffer damage.
To confirm the truck driver's assertions that he was unaware of the occurrence, the Basak police will examine any CCTV cameras in the vicinity.
Baculi has been transporting asphalt for use in repairing roads for the past year.
He has been a driver for the previous 20 years.
Baculi was with his wife and child who served as his helpers when the incident occurred. (AYB, HIC, TPT)