A 14-year-old boy lost his life early Thursday morning, April 30, 2026, after being struck by a modern jeepney near the Archbishop Reyes Avenue flyover in Barangay Luz, Cebu City. The victim, a resident of Barangay Guadalupe, was heading home with his friends after a basketball game when the tragic accident occurred.
Details of the Incident
According to the Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU) of the Cebu City Police Office, the teenager was walking near the sidewalk when a fast-moving modern jeepney traveling toward IT Park hit him. The driver of the vehicle was identified as 28-year-old Junel Cordenesa Oman.
Medical teams rushed the boy to the Cebu City Medical Center, but he passed away later that day due to his injuries.
Driver Claims He Didn't See the Victim
The driver, who is now in police custody, told investigators that he only realized he had hit someone after the impact happened. However, the victim's mother, Cathyrine Regis, shared a more harrowing account based on what her son's friends told her.
She claimed that after the jeepney hit her son, it did not stop. The boy's friends had to chase the vehicle, and it was only brought to a halt when a taxi driver who witnessed the incident blocked the jeepney's path.
Justice for the Victim
The victim's mother is heartbroken and demanding justice for her son. She expressed anger over reports from the boy's friends that a conductor on the jeepney allegedly suggested they flee the scene. "The conductor was so cruel because he reportedly said 'let's run away,' it's a good thing a taxi blocked the bus," Cathyrine said in Cebuano.
Legal Consequences
TEU chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Jomar Medil confirmed that the driver underwent mandatory alcohol testing following the incident. The police have already recommended to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) that Oman's driver's license be suspended.
Authorities are now finalizing the filing of a case for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide against the driver. As the family mourns the loss of a young life cut short after a simple game of basketball, the community is reminded of the devastating consequences of road safety failures.
