March 15,2010

Motorcycle Driver Dies In Bus Collision

By Quirico M.Gorpido,Jr.
Maasin City, Southern Leyte-A motorcycle driver together with a backrider who is
his girlfriend has collided with the Bachelor Bus as the two speeding vehicles
were negotiating in two opposite directions at a curved road in brgy.Lib-og dur
ing the recent Monday at about 12:00 noon.
The victim-driver was identified as Adonis Legaspi Bascug,35 year old, single
and a resident of brgy, San Rafael, about 10 kilometers away from here.
His backrider-girlfriend was identified as Marife Javier Mendoza, 32 year old
, single and a resident of a neighboring barangay of San Jose.
The bus driver–suspect was identified as John Reli Dejos, 49 years old, marri
ed, and a resident of Mabate, Banaybanay, Davao Oriental.
In an interview with LSDE, Traffic Officer Donato Cervantes said that based o
n on-the-spot investigation, the victims came from San Jose where the driver fet
ched his girlfriend of 2 years and were going towards Matalom,Leyte, about 30 ki
lometers away from Maasin.
The Bachelor Bus came from Tacloban City passing thru Ormoc City and proceede
d towards Maasin to pick up some waiting passengers bound for Surigao, Butuan, D
avao or Cagayan.de Oro
As the two speeding vehicles ran in opposite directions (south to north; nort
h to south) met at the curved road in brgy. Lib-og, Cervantes said, the two acci
dentally collided when the bus swerved to the left side, which was the proper pl
ace of the motorcycle. The motorcycle driver was in his right way, the police sa
id.
He said that the bus’ right side bumper was damaged and its headlight was sha
ttered. The driver-victim of the motorcycle suffered serious injuries. His face
was bathed with blood and he vomited blood. He was rushed to the provincial hosp
ital, but was pronounced dead on arrival by the attending physician.
His motorcycle has only a little damage. It was driven by Cervantes’ colleagu
e to the police station for custody, a witness said. The victim’s girlfriend sur
prisingly has only slight bruises, except for a single wound on her head that ha
s several stitches.
The Traffic Officer revealed that this was the second time Marife was involve
d in a vehicular collision. The first was a motorcycle collision at the curved r
oad of sitio Puerto Princesa, brgy.Bagtikan where her father who drove the motor
cycle died. That was in 2005. In that particular incident she suffered only slig
ht bruises and had no bone fracture, he said. But in this latest accident, she w
as shocked that she could not talk on that day due perhaps to the impact of the
collision where a big bus was involved, he said.
The police disclosure was confirmed by the victim’s elder sister Maribel Mend
oza-Moralde, 39 years old, married, who was the former’s watcher at the hospital
.”Suerte guihapon ang akong manghod kay wala siya’y bali sa bukog sa iyang lawas
ug ang iyang ulo kalooy sa Dios walay liki ug wala usab siya magluwa ug dugo ug
wala magsukasuka”,she said in Cebuano.(My younger sister was still lucky becaus
e she has no bone fracture and her head with the mercy of God has no crack and s
he did not vomit blood or was nauseating.)
Asked if the rumor being circulated was true that the two protagonists were
about to be married, she replied that there was no schedule for a wedding ceremo
ny yet.”Duha katuig na silang manag-uyab,pero dila pa sila kaslonon kay wala pa
may skidyol or pitsa sa ilang kasal nga guitakda”’she clarified in Cebuano.(They
are now two years in their intimate relationship, but there was no schedule ye
t of their wedding ceremony.)
SPO1 Cervantes said that based on Atty.Gerry Dator’s evaluation of the case,
the Bachelor management represented by its “adjuster”, was ordered to pay P200,
000.00.as damages. However, the defendant’s party did not accept the amount impo
sed as damages, he said. Hence, the complainant had filed a case of reckless imp
rudence resulting in homicide at the City Prosecutor’s Office.
The police officer further informed that due to “lapse in time” affected by s
udden brownout which delayed the filing of the case, the Prosecutor has likewise
released the driver-suspect thru the mediation of Bachelor’s “adjuster”.
Nevertheless, an arraignment was scheduled. Both the complainant and the defe
ndant shall be going to receive subpoenas prior to the hearing to be held someti
me in March 2010, he said. The police also observed that most of this kind of ca
ses, amicable settlement was the favored choice of both parties.
(Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)