Police nab driver of truck carrying rock that killed Bukidnon poll exec

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY –– Police have arrested the driver of the truck carrying the rock that fell on the vehicle of Bukidnon provincial election supervisor Stalin Baguio in Valencia City on Friday.

Lt. Col. Surki Sereñas, Valencia city police chief, said a closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage helped investigators trace the source of the rock.

Baguio’s vehicle got near the truck on the road in Sitio Patag of Barangay Bagontaas.

The truck driver was arrested in his home in Barangay Bancud, Malaybalay City.

When confronted by police, the driver denied, at first, it was his truck, but relented when he saw the CCTV footage.

Sereñas refused to divulge the identity of the driver pending the filing of charges against him on Monday.

Sereñas said the driver told investigators he was not aware that his cargo has hit a motorist, hence he did not stop.

He said they hauled the rocks from a quarry site in Valencia’s Barangay Sugod.

The rock that fell from the truck, which was a foot in diameter, broke through the windshield of Baguio’s sports utility vehicle and hit his face.

Baguio died while inside the emergency room of a Valencia hospital.

Commission on Elections northern Mindanao director Renato Magbutay said the agency “lost a good man” with the death of Baguio, whom he also described as “a hardworking, competent and dependable supervisor.”

“His loss will be immensely felt by everyone he has touched,” Magbutay added.

Baguio’s remains were brought to a funeral parlor in Cagayan de Oro.

As City Election Officer here from 2001 to 2007, Baguio presided over a crackdown on about 20,000 flying voters by removing them from the voters’ list./lzb