A professional volleyball player figured in road mishap and died in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.
Ike Andrew Barilea was seen in a video bonding with family and friends on November 9, 2025 in a karaoke session. The moment was captured on video for Barilea's 21st birthday, where he spent his big day at home in Barangay Dos, Cadiz City.
His family said they will remember that moment fondly as it was the first time they saw Barilea sing. He is not keen on singing, his family said. His world revolves around volleyball.
The family does not have any premonition that that was the last birthday Barilea would celebrate. On November 11, 2025, he perished in a motorcycle accident. He was driving his own motorcycle in Cadiz City, figured in a mishap, and sustained fatal injuries on the chest and on the back.
According to the police, Barilea was moving in the same direction with a passenger bus. However, the bus hit his motorcycle.
"Na-miscalculate niya at natamaan ang biktima. Hindi niya natantya at nahagip ang likurang bahagi ng motorsiklo at tumilapon,” according to Lt. Mansueto de Jose, deputy chief of Cadiz City Police Station.
His family said it is too painful to accept the incident, as Barilea would not come to live the day he would fulfill his other aspirations.
"Sa driver naman sana. Sana hindi mo binangga. Ang sakit-sakit talaga,” Angelic Barilea, an aunt, said.
His grandmother could not help from wishing she was taken instead, citing Barilea still has a long way to go in life.
“Kung pwede lang sana ako na lang ang kunin, hindi siya,” Cheryl Javier, the grandmother, expressed.
It was in 2020 when Barilea started playing volleyball. When he played in Tacloban City, his potential was spotted by a national volleyball coach. Due to his volleyball prowess, he was able to travel to Japan to play, until he became part of Alas Men. He also became a member of the 2025 AVC Men’s Volleyball Championship League and 1 Silay Volleyball Club for the 2025 PNVF U21 National Volleyball Championships Men’s Division.
One of his best traits that family and friends like most about him is his decisiveness.
"Kung ano ang kanyang mga pinagdadaanan at ginagawa, hindi niya sinasabi. Nagulat nga kami na umabot na siya sa Japan,” Angelic, the aunt, added.
His friend, Ron Jasper Poja, mentioned that he first spotted Barilea’s potential when they were colleagues in basketball.
“Ako ang nag-encourage sa kanya na pasukin ang volleybal. Nagkasabay kami noon sa basketball, doon ko unang nakita ang potential niya," Poja cited.
According to the police, the bus driver was released after the reglementary period lapsed. However, his family is keen on filing charges for reckless imprudence resulting to homicide against the driver.
The family is waiting for the arrival of Barilea’s mother from Manila, as of this writing.
