A tragic accident claimed the life of a motorcyclist, while five others were injured in two separate incidents early morning of May 9, 2026, in Balamban, Cebu. The incidents occurred in Barangay Cansomoroy and Barangay Pondol.
First Accident: Motorcyclist Killed in Collision with SUV
The fatality was identified as Cholo Jake Garalza, an adult resident of Mandaue City. He was driving his Honda 125 motorcycle when he collided with an oncoming SUV at around 10:44 AM along the Transcentral Highway in Barangay Cansomoroy.
Garalza was rushed to the Balamban district hospital but was declared dead on arrival. The SUV driver, Ace Anthony Cantiviros Climaco, 31, married, a resident of Barangay Baliwagan, Balamban, is now detained at the Balamban Police Station while charges are being prepared against him.
According to the investigation by the Balamban Police Station, the victim was descending towards the town of Balamban. Upon reaching a curved section of the road, he lost control of his motorcycle after its wheel skidded, causing him to collide with the oncoming SUV. The victim sustained severe head and body injuries, leading to his instantaneous death.
Second Accident: Bus Crashes into Vehicle, Store, and Wall
Meanwhile, four passengers were injured, including the bus driver, when the bus crashed into a vehicle, a store, and a wall at around 10 AM on Saturday, May 9, 2026, along the national highway in Barangay Pondol.
The injured were identified as Julito Delator Frias, 58, driver of the Calvo Bus (plate number GAK 2031), married; Myrna Del Rosario Ledres, 22, single; Shental Jane Pardillo, 23, single, all residents of Balamban; and Shyryl Pagadot, 50, a resident of Barangay Calamba, Cebu City.
Initially, the bus hit a Toyota Innova driven by Raul Murillo Buhay, 63, of Arpili, Balamban. According to Police Lt. Col. Ruel Logroño Burlat, chief of the Balamban Police Station, the bus was heading towards Cebu City when it struck the oncoming Innova that was heading towards Balamban.
The bus driver stated that he lost control of the steering wheel and swerved into the opposite lane, causing him to hit the oncoming Innova. However, the bus continued moving and subsequently crashed into a store, a steel post, and the firewall of a gasoline station before finally stopping.
Among the injured was a woman named Maan Ripdos Verano, who was doing laundry in her house beside the gasoline station at the time of the incident.
