A 70-YEAR-OLD widow was pronounced dead upon arriving at the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) after being hit by a passenger jeepney while crossing a pedestrian lane in Barangay Bulacao, Cebu City, at around 6:06 a.m. on Wednesday, May 8, 2024.
The victim was identified as Feliciana Cabusas, a resident of the said barangay.
She was walking along a pedestrian lane when she was struck by a multicab passenger jeepney (GXL 575) driven by Bernabe Teofilo, 73, a widower from Barangay Kinasang-an, Cebu City.
Another pedestrian, Monina Medalle Pasidas, 39, of Barangay Linao, Minglanilla town, also sustained injuries.
According to some witnesses, Cabusas fell and hit her head on the pavement.
In an investigation carried out by the Cebu City Police Office's Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU), Teofilo stated that he had already stopped to give way to the victim when he was hit from behind by another multicab PUJ driven by 63-year-old Rogelio Candiso Racaza and bearing route number 44D and license plate GXP 485, causing his vehicle to move and strike the victim.
Racaza, however, said that Teofilo suddenly stopped, enabling him to collide with his vehicle.
"Nikalit ra siya’g brake, mao to nga nadumbolan naku," according to Racaza.
(He suddenly applied the brakes, that’s why I struck him).
The members of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office rushed the victim to the CCMC, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Police Major Jonathan Dela Cerna, the head of TEU, said the two drivers are currently being held and will be facing charges for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide. (AYB, TPT)