Two vehicular accidents that occurred two days apart last week claimed the lives of a former Bato councilor’s son and a Grade 4 pupil from San Andres.
In the first incident, the San Andres police reported that last June 4, 2026 at about 9:30 in the morning, a black Suzuki Smash motorcycle driven by Alexander Valeza Somido, 19, a jobless resident of San Isidro in the same town, was traversing the national highway from the town proper towards Bislig when it figured in the accident.
As the fast-moving vehicle was passing through Zone 3 in Cabcab, it slammed into Wesly Pia Tresvalles, 9, a Grade 4 student, who had crossed the road.
Both the driver and the child were rushed by MDRRMO personnel to the Juan M. Alberto Memorial Hospital for immediate medical treatment but Tresvalles was pronounced dead on arrival by the physician on duty.
Somido is now under custody of the San Andres police pending investigation into the incident.
The police reiterated its advice to motorists and pedestrians to be extra careful while on the road to prevent similar accidents.
It also urged parents and guardians to guide their children and wards and teach them on the proper way of crossing busy roads, especially with the opening of classes, to avoid coming to harm due to avoidable accidents.
Two days later, on June 6, a son of a former member of the Sangguniang Bayan of Bato was killed when his speeding motorcycle ran smack into the sidecar of a tricycle that was doing a U-turn on the national highway in Capilihan, Virac at about 11 PM.
John Michael Vergara Prensader, 24, a resident of Libod, Bato, was declared dead on arrival at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Hospital where he was taken by responding Virac MDRRMO personnel.
Investigation disclosed that a Honda TMX 155 passenger tricycle registered to Evelyn Tabuzo Pantino and driven by Rommel Quintal Tabuzo, 48, of sitio Mislagan, Capilihan, was heading towards the barangay when he signaled his intention to make a left furn.
Upon reaching the area in front of the building occupied by the GSIS Extension Office, he began the turn and was about to complete the maneuver when it was struck by the Yamaha R15 sports motorcycle traveling at a high rate of speed in the opposite direction from San Vicente towards Virac población.
The speed and impact were such that the half of the motorcycle became lodged inside the sidecar of the tricycle, causing substantial damage to both vehicles.
Prensader reportedly sustained a deep laceration between the left side of the neck and the shoulder.
The attending physician, Dr. Mark John Sarmiento, also found that the victim smelled strongly of alcoholic beverage, indicating possible consumption of intoxicating liquor sometime prior to the collision.
On the other hand, the tricycle driver suffered a fracture on his right leg as well as minor injuries on the other parts of his body and is undergoing treatment and observation at the Eastern Bicol Medical Center.