OFF-THE-AIR

DAGUPAN CITY – Former Tour champion Romeo Bonzo died today after a speeding van sideswiped his motorcycle in Sual, Pangasinan.

PO1 Joel Ramirez, intelligence and warrant officer of the Sual police station, said Bonzo, 48, was riding on his motorcycle when he stopped to talk to somebody in a van parked by the roadside.

It was then, police said, that a speeding van attempted to overtake the two vehicles. But because a truck was on the opposite lane, the van driver, identified as Moises Moyano of Barangay Bolosan, this city, swerved to the right, hitting Bonzo.

Bonzo sustained head injuries. He died on arrival at the Trauma Center here.

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GOVERNOR Victor Agbayani urged Wednesday the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office in coordination with the municipal social welfare offices of the affected coastal towns to complete the socio/economic documentation of the families of survivors, casualties and the missing.

The documentation is needed by the provincial government to determine appropriate relief and livelihood assistance to the victims of the sea disaster and their families.

Task Force Infanta headed by Lt. Colonel Gregory Cayetano of the Philippine Army, which spearhead the relief and rescue operations for the affected fishermen, has already terminated its work last December 27 after the safe return and recovery of 202 persons.

Some 55 more of the original missing fishermen are unaccounted for.

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Two more persons drowned in separate areas of the Lingayen Gulf recently, joining the increasing number of swimmers who lost their lives there since December last year.

The latest drowning incidents occurred at the Jimenez beach in barangay Patar, Bolinao on Wednesday where the victim was identified in the police report as Cheffrey Partho, 26, of Imus, Cavite.

The other drowning victim was Tealby Pascual, 14, of barangay Matalava, Lingayen, who was carried by strong current while swimming along the Lingayen Beach last December 30.

The other drowning incidents occurred earlier in the beaches of Dagupan, Binmaley and San Fabian, all in the Lingayen Gulf.

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LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN – Two persons died while 13 others, including three children, were injured in four separate vehicular accidents in various Pangasinan towns over the weekend, reports reaching the provincial police office here said.

Police said Thelma Jasmin, 36, died after a speeding service utility vehicle rammed into the tricycle she and five others were riding on in San Fabian, Pangasinan last Saturday.

On the other hand, Michael Tagura, 23, died after a utility van sideswiped his motorcycle on the national highway in Barangay Cablong in Pozorrubio town last Sunday. Tagura sustained head injuries when he fell to the concrete pavement.

As a result, police said, the van was damaged on its left rear side door, injuring passengers, Edivina Tayag, 47, a resident of Iba, Zambales and Shulamita Lalusis, 29, of Makati City.

Police said Jasmin was in the tricycle being driven by her husband, Jess, 36, when the vehicular accident took place. Because of the impact, police said Jasmin’s seven-year-old niece Carla May Callanta and nine-year-old nephew, John Don Ferreira, were injured.

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