Cugman deaths not accidental: probers

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

INVESTIGATORS found new evidence that could establish that the seven deaths on the highway in Barangay Cugman, this city, on Palm Sunday were not accidental but were a result of irrational road rage.

SPO1 Elmo Butra of the Cugman police said investigators examined truck driver Freddie Talisayan’s cellphone and found text messages showing that he warned a woman that he would crash the six-wheel truck of El Raro Farms that night.

The 30-year old Talisayan, who has a common law wife and three children in Sugbongcogon, Misamis Oriental, turned out to be seeing another woman in Bukidnon, said Butra.

Chief Insp. Evan Viñas, Cugman police chief, said they were finalizing another complaint against Talisayan following the discovery of the new evidence.

Viñas said Talisayan was to be slapped with reckless imprudence resulting in multiple murder, multiple serious physical injuries, and damage to property.

He said the first complaint for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, multiple serious physical injuries, and damage to property would apply to victims Ronnie Abrio and his children Kenneth, Stephanie Nicole, and Sophia.

The second case, according to Viñas, would apply to the deaths of Mae Bonior, 17, Vanessa Tadlas, 29, and Vevine Nacaya, 23.

“Gi-level up nato ang gravity sa iyang kaso. Atong gipabug-atan kay human pag-charge nato sa cellphone adtong driver, didto namo nasuta nga morag premeditated ang maong incidents kay dunay mga bahad didto sa cellphone. Dunay iyang suicidal instinct,” Viñas said.

He said the exchange of text messages showed that the woman from Bukidnon wanted to end her relationship with Talisayan apparently because she found out that he already has a family.

Viñas said Talisayan then warned the woman that if she ended their relationship, he would crash the truck or run people over with it.

Butra said it became clear to investigators that there was intention on the part of Talisayan to kill.

He said the second and third impacts in Cugman on Sunday night indicated that Talisayan had an “evil motive.”

“Na-a gyud siyay intention  nga mopatay ug tawo. Then, atong nadiskobrehan didto sa iyang cellphone nga na-a gyud diay iyang ill motive or premeditation,” Butra said.

He said the lovers clearly quarreled, and one of the text messages showed that it was the first time for Talisayan to reveal to the woman that he has a common law wife.

Talisayan’s elder brother Felix earlier said his brother has had too much alcohol to drink before he drove the truck that night. They were supposed to deliver chicken to Bukidnon but Freddie headed towards the city proper instead.

Felix, 32, said his brother drove the truck at some 100 kilometers per hour on the highway.

In an interview yesterday, Freddie admitted that he had an exchange of text messages with his “girlfriend,”and that he warned her about what he would do to the truck.

But Talisayan said it was just a bluff. “Gihinadlok ra man to nako siya. Sigi man nako tog buhaton, dili kay karon lang,” he said.