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LUCENA CITY––A helmetless motorcyclist and a back-rider of another motorcycle died in separate road mishaps Tuesday and Wednesday in Tayabas City and Candelaria town in Quezon province.
Two motorcycles collided around 12:20 a.m. Wednesday along the Maharlika Highway in Barangay Masin Sur in Candelaria, the Quezon police reported.
One of the motorcycle drivers, John Hilary Lontoc, 18, died on the spot from grave injuries.
Lontok’s male back-rider, who the report did not identify being a minor, was taken to the Peter-Paul Medical Center at the town center for treatment.
The report said the other motorcycle rider, an unidentified 16-year-old boy, also suffered injuries.
Police Staff Sargent Manolito Vitoriano, the case investigator, said the solo rider occupied the opposite lane that led to the collision.
“All of them had no crash helmets,” Vitoriano said in a phone interview.
Wearing crash helmets for motorcycle riders is mandated under the Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009.
In Tayabas City, a motorcycle driven by Sem Barbacena, 27, with back-rider Maria Floreza Adarayon, 24, avoided a cargo truck driven by Edgardo Anos along the highway in Barangay Mayuwi around 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday.
The motorcycle turned wayward and skidded, causing injuries to the passengers.
The two victims were taken to the Quezon Medical Center in neighboring Lucena City, but Adarayon died on the way.
The police are conducting further investigation while Anos remains under custody.
Police did not say whether the victim was wearing a crash helmet.