Motorbike rider cut in half in predawn accident in Pasig

MANILA, Philippines - A motorcycle rider was cut in half while when a truck rammed his bike while stopping on red light in Pasig City before dawn Wednesday. DZBB's Sam Nielsen reported that the incident occurred at 2 a.m. near the corner of Ortigas Avenue and Lanuza Street. The fatality, who was not immediately identified, was cut in half, his lower body still pinned to the crushed motorcycle and his upper torso thrown to the street. Police are now eying charges against Fernando Mallari, driver of an Isuzu trailer truck (WKE-532) loaded with cement from Manila, for allegedly speeding and hitting the motorcycle. Sketchy initial reports indicated the incident also involved a truck (ZJG-260) loaded with sand, driven by Rico Dimarugot from Pampanga. Oil spilling from the two trucks stretched 50 meters and snarled traffic in the area until 7 a.m., after rendering one lane impassable to traffic. Marlon delos Santos, driver of a subcontracting firm who saw the incident, said the victim had stopped at a red light but the Isuzu truck came speeding toward him. "Itong trailer paparating ang bilis, nakita yan ng nakamotor, lumingon, napasigaw pa. Huli na, nang iiwas siya nasalpok siya (The trailer was coming too fast. When the motor rider saw it, he shouted and tried to move out of the way but it was too late)," Delos Santos said. Delos Santos also said the Isuzu driver's companions berated him for going too fast. "Sabi ko sa iyo dahan-dahan, ang kulit mo (I told you to go slow but you were hardheaded)," he recalled a pregnant passenger of the Isuzu truck as telling the driver. - GMANews.TV