CEBU CITY – Two persons including a rookie policeman were killed while their girlfriends were hurt on Tuesday night when the van they were riding crashed into the road railings and rammed into a public toilet before falling into a 10-foot ravine along the national highway of Candagit village, Sibonga town, about 50.7 km south of here.
The fatalities were identified as PO1 Anthony Belarma Heredia, 27, and a member of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, and Dexter Cabie, 32.
Heredia, who belonged to the Regional Public Safety Battalion in Central Visayas (RPSB-7) and a resident of Dalaguete town, died at the Carcar City District Hospital while Cabie, of Minglanilla town, was killed on the spot.
Kitchie Salado, 32, and her niece Sheila Mae Lota, 20, both from Cogon Ramos, Cebu City, were confined in a hospital in Cebu City and were out of danger, said police investigator, SPO1 Jaime Mendoza.
Salado was the girlfriend of Heredia while Lota was the girlfriend of Cabie.
Salado, Cabie and Lota went to Barangay Simala in Sibonga town on Tuesday afternoon to visit the Birhen sa Lindogon.
From Simala, they proceeded to RPSB-7 headquarters in Barangay Bahay, also in Sibonga, to see Heredia. But they went to Heredia’s boarding house in Barangay Poblacion after they were told that he had gone home to rest since he was part of the team that secured President Aquino who visited Argao town on Tuesday afternoon.
Mendoza said the group went to the boarding house.
Salado, who owned the Toyota Innova (VFS 845) allowed his boyfriend to drive the vehicle while heading to her condominium unit in Barangay Cogon Ramos in Cebu City.
Initial investigation showed that Heredia drove the vehicle too fast and later lost control of the steering wheel about 9:10 p.m. on Tuesday.
The van first hit the railings beside the road and rammed into the newly-built toilet before falling into the 10-foot ravine.
Mendoza said Heredia was still breathing when the police arrived but he was already unconscious. Heredia died later at the Carcar District Hospital due to severe head injuries.
Cabie, who also suffered head injuries, was already dead when he was pulled out from the back seat. But the two women were conscious.
Salado, who was sitting in the passenger front seat, was able to get out of the vehicle. Lota and Cabie were at the backseats.
Mendoza said Lota told investigators that she was sleeping in the back seat. She woke up because she noticed that the vehicle was running in a zigzag direction. CDG
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